From nomad to farmer: The roots of our society in the Neolithic!

From nomad to farmer: The roots of our society in the Neolithic!

The transition from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles at the beginning of the Neolithic period marked one of the most important turning points in human history. A current study by researchers from Germany, Great Britain and the USA sheds light on the effects of this change and the role of innovations in the social structure. How uni-kiel.de reports, the scientists analyzed extensive data compiled in a global database from the GINI project, which includes more than 50,000 records on human habitation over the past 20,000 years.

The study, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), shows that the fundamental innovations of the Neolithic period - including the introduction of crops, animal husbandry and the use of pack animals - did not lead to increasing social inequality. Prof. Dr. Tim Kerig, lead author of the study and postdoc in the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence, emphasizes that the results present a picture of stable equality across 100 generations. Research even shows that innovations may even have eliminated existing inequalities.

The Neolithic Revolution

The term “Neolithic Revolution” was coined by Vere Gordon Childe and describes the transition from hunting and gathering societies to agrarian lifestyles. This transformation began over 10,000 years ago, mostly in the Middle East. During this time, not only permanent settlements developed, but also new social structures. Early agriculture led to significant changes in people's lifestyles, dietary habits and health. So reported xn--sprche-zitate-yob.de about the influences this period had on body size, environment and long-term agricultural practices.

A detailed examination of social inequality during this period shows that men often defined their social status through material possessions, particularly objects such as the stone axe sueddeutsche.de explained. An analysis of over 300 Neolithic skeletons shows that ax owners tended to have better access to fertile soil and their lifestyle was more stable because they stayed in one place longer and passed land to descendants.

Social structures and mobility

The results of the studies make it clear that complex social structures emerged during the Neolithic. Women, on the other hand, often came from distant places, indicating the patrilocal family system that had become established in these communities. These findings support the existing archaeological, genetic and linguistic evidence on human migration and settlement history.

The long-term consequences of the Neolithic Revolution are significant. They not only led to an agricultural society, but also to a variety of social challenges, including health problems caused by an unbalanced diet. For example, archaeological finds show high tooth decay rates among early farmers.

Overall, the research paints a differentiated picture of the social and economic dynamics in the Neolithic period. The stable conditions during these 100 generations show that innovations did not necessarily cause inequality. The study is part of a special PNAS volume that examines the global dynamics of inequality over long periods of time and includes many other articles on social structures, economics, work and productivity in this fascinating historical context.