The first farmers: the origins of agricultural societies

First Farmers: the Origins of Agricultural Societies offers readers an understanding of the origins and histories of early agricultural populations in all parts of the world. Uses data from archaeology, comparative linguistics, and biological anthropology to cover developments over the past 12,000 years Examines the reasons for the multiple primary origins of agriculture Focuses on agricultural origins in and dispersals out of the Middle East, central Africa, China, New Guinea, Mesoamerica and the northern Andes Covers the origins and dispersals of major language families such as Indo-European, Austronesian, Sino-Tibetan, Niger-Congo and Uto-Aztecan This work offers readers an understanding of the origins and histories of early agricultural populations in all parts of the world. It examines the reasons for the multiple primary origins of agriculture, looks at relations between hunter-gatherers and farmers, and addresses issues of agricultural adoption, the origins and dispersal histories of language families, and the dispersal histories of biological populations. It uses data from archaeology, comparative linguistics, and biological anthropology to cover developments over the past 12,000 years. The author offers discussion of regional agricultural origins in, and dispersals out of, these areas : the Middle East, central Africa, China, New Guinea, Mesoamerica, and the northern Andes. The linguistic survey covers the origins and dispersals of major language families such as Indo-European, Austronesian, Sino-Tibetan, Niger-Congo, and Uto-Aztecan The early farming dispersal hypothesis in perspective The origins and dispersals of agriculture : some operational considerations The beginnings of agriculture in Southwest Asia Tracking the spreads of farming beyond the Fertile Crescent : Europe and Asia Africa : an independent focus of agricultural development? The beginnings of agriculture in East Asia The spread of agriculture into Southeast Asia and Oceania Early agriculture and its spread in the Americas What do language families mean for human prehistory? The spread of farming : comparing the archaeology and the linguistics Genetics, skeletal anthropology, and the people factor The nature of early agricultural expansion.

First Farmers examines the reasons for the multiple primary origins of agriculture, looks at relations between hunter-gatherers and farmers, and addresses issues of agricultural adoption, the origins and dispersal histories of language families, and the dispersal histories of biological populations. Bellwood offers discussion of regional agricultural origins in, and dispersals out of, these areas: the Middle East, central Africa, China, New Guinea, Mesoamerica, and the northern Andes. The linguistic survey covers the origins and dispersals of major language families such as Indo-European, Austronesian, Sino-Tibetan, Niger-Congo, and Uto-Aztecan.

"First Farmers examines the reasons for the multiple primary origins of agriculture, looks at relations between hunter-gatherers and farmers, and addresses issues of agricultural adoption, the origins and dispersal histories of language families, and the dispersal histories of biological populations. Bellwood offers discussion of regional agricultural origins in, and dispersals out of, these areas: the Middle East, central Africa, China, New Guinea, Mesoamerica, and the northern Andes. The linguistic survey covers the origins and dispersals of major language families such as Indo-European, Austronesian, Sino-Tibetan, Niger-Congo, and Uto-Aztecan."--BOOK JACKET Most of us subsist today, and always have done in historical memory, on foods derived mainly from the products of domesticated plants and animals.