Centers of Food
Production
The Fertile Crescent v. Mesoamerica
Summary
We know that in order for societies to become
complex and technologically advanced they must
develop agriculture.
“surplus leads to specialization”
Summary
To find areas where food production began, we look
for the oldest known domesticated species.
Domestication is the process of modifying a wild
plant or animal (whether we know it or not) to suit
humans needs. This process eventually leads to
conscious, planned farming of the domesticated
species.
Summary
We Know That there are a number of areas across
the globe where food production arose
independently.
Centers of Food
Production
Dates of Food Production
 Fertile Crescent
8500 BC
 China
7500 BC
 Mesoamerica
3500 BC
 Andes and Amazonia 3500 BC
 Eastern US
2500 BC
Independent Ag??
• Sahel Region
5000 BC
• Tropical West Africa
3000 BC
• Ethiopia
• New Guinea
?
7000 BC
Fertile Crescent vs
Mesoamerica
The Fertile Crescent has more wild plant and
animal species that are suitable to domestication
Wild Plants
When we discuss how suitable a plant is to
domestication, we are referring to how easily it can
be altered to suit human needs.
Wild Plants
Plants that are more suitable for domestication are
those which are useful to humans and can easily be
cultivated in their wild form.
Fertile Crescent Plants
By the Numbers:
Of thousands of wild grass species, there are 56
with seeds (grains) that are large.
33 of those are found in Eurasia.
5 are found in Mesoamerica.
Large-Seeded Grass
F.C. Plants
Advantage #1: Wild plants are adapted to the
Mediterranean climate. They are Annuals.
Annuals have a one-year life. They put their
energy into large seeds.
Seeds are adapted to remain dormant during dry
season - easy to store.
F.C. Plants
Advantage #2: Wild plants were already abundant
and highly productive.
Few additional changes needed to be made
under cultivation (changes in seed dispersal/
germination inhibitors)
Mesoamerica - Staple crop = corn. Corn’s wild
ancestor, Teosinte, had to undergo a number of
changes to be productive and useful.
Teosinte v. Corn
F.C. Plants
Advantage #3: Self-pollinating Crops
Prevents the loss of mutations/inherited
advantages
The first 8 crops domesticated in the fertile
crescent were all “selfers”
Wheat
The most significant
cereal crop from the F.C.
Additionally, Wheat has a
high nutritional value: 814 % protein
Corn
The most significant
cereal crop in
Mesoamerica
Lower nutritional value in
terms of protein.
F.C. Food Package
3 major cereal grains, four pulses (edible seeds
from pod-bearing plants), four large domestic
animals (used first as a meat source, but later used
for transport, fiber, work, and milk), and flax as a
fiber and oil source.
Mesoamerica
Staple crop is difficult to domesticate and slow to
develop. Domestication doesn’t occur until
approximately 3500 bce, compared with 8500 bce
in the Fertile Crescent.
Domestication of
Animals
Domesticated animals
Used for their:
Meat
Milk
Fiber
Work
Domesticated Animals
Humans select for traits that benefit us
We control their breeding and feeding
The Ancient Fourteen
14 species of large, herbivorous, domesticated
animals
Nine are only used in certain parts of the world
Five are widespread and called the “Major Five”
Water Buffalo
Reindeer
Donkey
Llama and Alpaca
Arabian Camel
Bactrian Camel
The Big Five
Horse
Cattle
Goat
Sheep
PIGS!
Candidates
Fertile crescent
The fertile crescent had more candidates for
domestication that were suitable for domestication.
Mesoamerica lacked candidates and organisms that
were suitable for domestication.
Why not domesticate the
others?
“Domesticable animals are all alike; every
undomesticable animal is undomesticable in its own
way.”
Diamond shows that animals must have the
following 6 qualities to be domesticable.
Lacking any one make them undomesticable.
Diet
Primarily Herbivorous
Otherwise, too much energy is put into gain
Ex. 10,000 lbs. of corn to grow 1,000 lbs. of cow
vs. 100,000 lbs of corn used to grow 10,000 lbs of
cow to feed and grow 1,000 lbs of carnivore.
Growth Rate
Must be fast growing and reach maturity quickly.
Ex. Gorillas and elephants slow growth make them
undomesticable
Captive Breeding
The animals MUST be able to breed in captivity.
Animals that need huge amounts of time or space
or privacy to breed will not be suitable for
domestication.
Nasty Disposition
Tendency of certain species to kill humans excludes
them from domestication.
Example: Grizzly bears, Zebras, a number of
Equids.
Tendency to panic
Animals must be calm enough to be around
humans ad large groups of their own species.
Panicky animals will kill themselves or others trying
to escape or run away.
Social Structure
They must have a social structure that allows them
to live with other animals and Ideally, a social
structure that humans can put themselves at the top
of.
Benefits of animals
Immunity intensive livestock production involves germs
Working around these organisms provides
immunity to these diseases
People that lack intensive livestock production
also lack immunity to animal pathogens (germs)
Ultimately...
“Peoples of the Fertile Crescent domesticated local
plants much earlier. They domesticated far more
productive or valuable species, domesticated a
much wider range of types of crops, developed
intensified food production and dense human
populations more rapidly, and as a result entered
the modern world with more advanced technology,
more complex political organization, and more
epidemic diseases with which to infect other
peoples.”