ANTH 120 1st Edition Lecture 26Outline of Last Lecture I. Dispersal of modern humansOutline of Current Lecture 1. The Neolithic and AgricultureCurrent LectureThe Neolithic and AgricultureOur Last 10,000 Years: Agriculture, Population, Biology- Wild type food: watermelon, banana, corn, eggplant, carrot, cabbage, kale, broccoli- When, where and why did agriculture first develop?- How did agriculture affect human living circumstances?Until ~10,000 years ago (Holocene Epoch),ALL Humans were hunters and gatherers- 10ka – Present: Holocene Epoch (Interglacial)- 10ka – 2000 BP: Neolithic “New Stone Age”The Agricultural Revolution: Neolithic 10,000 years ago- Foraging: including use of fire- Incipient Farming: small scale clearance of vegetation, minimal cultivation- Farming with larger scale land clearance and systematic cultivation- Full blown agriculture: based mostly on domestic plants, with greater labor input into cultivationDependent and mutualistic relationship between us and our domesticated crops and animalsWhy do we start seeing this shift?New Foods and New Adaptations:- Predictable Plant growth (exploited by humans)- Population growthThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.Arose independently in 11 regions around the world, in each region, different local plants were domesticated- 2/3 of all calories and protein intake comes plants domesticated in the early Holocene (wheat, barley, corn and rice)!!- Establishment of villages, cities and societies- Technological innovations: grow, store, transport more foodTrade-Offs to Domestication- Environmental Degradationo Desiccation of landscapes and soil erosiono Loss of wild type species (biodiversity)- Rapid Population Growth “Neolithic Demographic transition”  a rapid increase in population density world wide, rapid weaning = high birthrate- Increase in Interpersonal ViolenceHow did agriculture affect human biology?- The Skullo Shorter and tallero Dental malocclusions Tooth crowding and not lining up in their appropriate places There's not enough room in the oral cavity to hold all of the teetho Tooth decay and health Domesticated plants high in carbohydrates which are essential sugar, bacteria grows and tooth decay develops Bacteria produces lactic acid and dissolves enamel Creates dental caries “cavities”- The Skeletono Decreased rusticityo Increased disease transmissionThe Masticatory Functional Hypothesis- Facial bones and mandible smaller- Crania becomes rounderNutrition- Agriculture narrowed diversity of foodso Nutritional deficiencies- Nutritional distress, body slows or ceases growtho Shorter statureo Enamel hypoplaxiso Ameloblasts (cells that make enamel) halt productionActivity patterns in Modern Hunter-Gathers - Dependent on local ecology and food- 10-15 hours a weekBiomechanics: Mechanics of the body can tell us about activity patternsWolf’s Law: Apply more stress it will grow more!Beam Theory: Bone material farther from the center resists bending more than bone material closer to the center!- For example, applying force to the middle of a pencil the pencil will break in the middle, its more likely to break than the material that is farther away from the point of pressure- More material = more strength- Thicker cross sections- Agriculture has reduced mechanical stress can be seen in thinner bone cross sectionsHealth and the Agricultural Revolution: DiseasePopulation increase + Sedentary lifestyle = overcrowding and spread of infectious diseasesStaph Infections and Periosteal Reaction  soft tissue around the bones and where the blood vessels are- Porous and swollen bones in bone and fossil evidence it was extremely rare in pre-ag revolutionSyphilis and Yaws  eating away at parts of bonesTuberculosis, measles, mumps, cholera, flu and small poxAgricultural Populations Health Costs:- High infections- High dental problems- Reduced child