It is now estimated that farming began centuries earlier than previously thought. The advent of farming is thought to be second only to the discovery of fire in importance to the human race and it’s development.
After looking at areas in modern Syria where farming has been for exceeding long times it is believed that farming started around 13,000 years ago. That is 1,200 years earlier than the previous estimate. This is the result of 27 years of study.
Early farming allowed the hunter-gatherer more social time as less time was spent hunting for the next meal. They knew where the next meal was. It also encouraged the development of defense, as other groups of hunters, hungry, would be looking for a food source. Looking to take it from where ever and whoever had it. This development still affects the way we live today. And to some extent how the world is today. What would have happened had this had been a failure? I doubt that we would be where we are today. Without a steady source of food we would be left to the mercy of weather in the efforts of gathering such. All it would have taken would be one good disaster of long lasting nature to snuff out the hunter-gather of the area. With the ability to store food came the ability to outwait the weather to some degree.
After looking at areas in modern Syria where farming has been for exceeding long times it is believed that farming started around 13,000 years ago. That is 1,200 years earlier than the previous estimate. This is the result of 27 years of study.
Early farming allowed the hunter-gatherer more social time as less time was spent hunting for the next meal. They knew where the next meal was. It also encouraged the development of defense, as other groups of hunters, hungry, would be looking for a food source. Looking to take it from where ever and whoever had it. This development still affects the way we live today. And to some extent how the world is today. What would have happened had this had been a failure? I doubt that we would be where we are today. Without a steady source of food we would be left to the mercy of weather in the efforts of gathering such. All it would have taken would be one good disaster of long lasting nature to snuff out the hunter-gather of the area. With the ability to store food came the ability to outwait the weather to some degree.