Becoming Neolithic: The Pivot of Human History

Becoming Neolithic explores the revolutionary transformation of human life 12,000 years ago in southwest Asia, with hunter-gatherer communities building permanent settlements, creating public monuments, and cultivating crops. Trevor Watkins sets the story in the context of contemporary cultural evolutionary theory, explaining why the transformation accelerated human history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Becoming Neolithic delves into the profound upheaval that occurred approximately 12,000 years ago in certain regions of southwest Asia, marking a revolutionary transformation in human existence. Hunter-gatherer communities embarked on the construction of the first permanent settlements, erecting public monuments and employing symbolic imagery. They also initiated the cultivation of crops and the management of animals, marking a significant shift in their way of life. These communities propelled a remarkable surge in cultural, social, technological, and economic innovation, setting the stage for unprecedented progress. Trevor Watkins contextualizes the narrative of becoming Neolithic within the framework of contemporary cultural evolutionary theory. Over the past 70 years, international inter-disciplinary research has flourished in this field, yielding a comprehensive understanding of archaeology, environmental and climatic evidence, and the slow domestication of plants and animals. Watkins unfolds this knowledge in a step-by-step manner, providing a timely and up-to-date perspective on the Neolithic era. He further explores the latest theoretical insights into cultural evolution and niche construction, shedding light on why the transformation achieved during this period began to accelerate the scale and tempo of human history. The subsequent chapters, spanning tens of thousands of years, unfolded in distinct ways compared to the preceding periods of human evolution. This well-documented account serves as a valuable resource for students of prehistoric archaeology and anyone with a keen interest in our prehistoric roots. Moreover, it offers insights into cultural evolutionary theory, shedding light on the early stages of human development and the profound impact of cultural transformations.

Weight: 502g
Dimension: 155 x 235 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780415221528