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Agriculture began independently in different parts of the globe and included a diverse range of taxa. At least 11 separate regions of the Old and New World were involved as independent centers of origin. Some of the earliest known domestications were of animals.
6 days ago · Learn how humans domesticated plants and animals and altered ecosystems for food production. Explore the research techniques and the cultural and historical aspects of agriculture in different regions of the world.
Jan 5, 2024 · Learn how agriculture transformed human society and the environment around 12,000 years ago. Explore the origins and diversity of crops and animals, and the impact of farming on human evolution and culture.
- Agricultural Origins in The Old World
- Transcontinental Dispersal of Near Eastern Crops
- Spread of Agriculture Across The Mediterranean Basin
- Indian Ocean Dispersals
- Agricultural Origins in The New World
- Dispersal of New World Crops
- Transcontinental Crop Exchanges – Columbian Exchange
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Farming began in the 4th millennium BCE in the hill country of southeastern Turkey, western Iran, and the Levant, where a wide range of plants and animals were located that were amenable to domestication. So many ancient agricultural sites have been located in this region that some scholars suggested that the Near East be thought of as a "nuclear a...
Near Eastern grain culture spread rapidly, and by 8,000 years ago, Near Eastern crops had arrived in Greece, Egypt, along the Caspian Sea, and in Pakistan. Central Europe was being heavily farmed less than 1,000 years later, and by 5,000 years ago farming communities spanned the area from coastal Spain to Englandto Scandinavia. Most of the founder ...
The diffusion of agriculture occurred both over the landmasses and across the Mediterranean islands. Cyprus was colonized about 10,500 to 9,000 years ago by fully established Neolithicpioneers from the mainland. Likely traveling by boat, these colonists brought with them the full complement of the economically important mainland plants and animals,...
Indian Ocean seafarers transmitted a number of important Asian crops to Madagascar, East Africa, and India by the 2nd millennium BCE including sugar cane, citrus, Asian rice, Asian yams, taro, banana and plantain, coconut, mango, breadfruit, and possibly several spices (ginger, cloves, and cardamon). Several of these crops were then moved across th...
Farming probably began independently in the New World, 1000 to 2000 years later than in the Old World. There was a relatively compact Mesoamerican center extending from today's Mexico Cityto Honduras, while South American crops emerged in a broad area covering most of coastal and central South America. An independent center also arose in eastern No...
From the Mesoamerican center, a maize-bean-squash assemblage gradually moved northward, picking up sunflower and numerous other native species on the way, to eastern North America, where it was well established by 4,500 years ago. Called the "Three Sisters", this assemblage displaced the indigenous crops of sump weed and chenopod. There is an ongoi...
Until about 500 years ago virtually all crop dispersals were within continents and not between them. There was spread into Oceania from Southeast Asia, but little movement occurred between the hemispheres. When Christopher Columbusarrived in the New World in 1492 CE, farmers in the two hemispheres were growing completely different assemblages of cr...
Learn how agriculture arose independently in several regions of the world, beginning about 12,000 years ago. Explore the crops, animals, and cultures that emerged from the Near East, Africa, China, and Southeast Asia.
Learn how agriculture evolved from hunting and gathering, and how it shaped human societies and civilizations. Explore the challenges and impacts of farming on the environment, food supply, and human health.
While humans started gathering grains at least 105,000 years ago, nascent farmers only began planting them around 11,500 years ago. Sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle were domesticated around 10,000 years ago. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world.
The history of agriculture is the story of humankind's development and cultivation of processes for producing food, feed, fiber, fuel, and other goods by the systematic raising of plants and animals. Prior to the development of plant cultivation, human beings were hunters and gatherers.
