{"id":12219,"date":"2023-10-10T16:34:12","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T15:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriculturelore.com\/?p=12219"},"modified":"2023-10-10T16:34:12","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T15:34:12","slug":"when-was-the-beginning-of-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agriculturelore.com\/when-was-the-beginning-of-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"When Was The Beginning Of Agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Agriculture has been an integral part of human development since the Neolithic Age, with early cultural practices involving the domestication of animals and developing land for the production of food. Historians have proposed a wide range of dates for the beginning of agricultural practices, ranging from 10–8 ka BP (thousand years before present). Some of the earliest evidence for animal domestication and cultivation comes from sites throughout the Near East, India and China. The development of sustainable farming practices in the past millennium has allowed for the development of the modern commercial food system.<\/p>\n

The earliest evidence of agriculture is found in the Levant and Fertile Crescent regions, which was an area located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that suggests that beginning around 10 ka BP, hunter-gatherers started cultivating crops at limited sites in the area. These sites show signs of crop rotation, as well as the use of stone tools and other artifacts that suggest that early farmers had a basic understanding of soil fertility and husbandry. Archaeological evidence also suggests that early farmers developed irrigation practices.<\/p>\n

The earliest evidence for the domestication of animals comes from the late Neolithic period, approximately 8–7 ka BP. Animal remains from sites in the Near East show that early humans were breeding livestock for meat and milk production. Initially, domesticated species were small and generally used for their pelts. However, over time, these species increased in size, especially cattle, which were used to provide a variety of foodstuff, including meat and milk.<\/p>\n

By 5000–4000 BP, the Neolithic Revolution was in full swing. This major transition in human social and cultural practices was marked by the development of new farming techniques, increased population densities, and the emergence of urban centers. Farmers were able to produce food and cultivate a diverse array of crops, allowing for the development of multifaceted societies.<\/p>\n