The First Farmers of Europe: An Evolutionary Perspective (Cambridge World Archaeology )

Synopsis

Knowledge of the origin and spread of farming has been revolutionised in recent years by the application of new scientific techniques, especially the analysis of ancient DNA from human genomes.

In this book, Stephen Shennan presents the latest research on the spread of farming by archaeologists, geneticists and other archaeological scientists. He shows that it resulted from a population expansion from present-day Turkey. Using ideas from the disciplines of human behavioural ecology and cultural evolution, he explains how this process took place. The expansion was not the result of 'population pressure' but of the opportunities for increased fertility by colonising new regions that farming offered. The knowledge and resources for the farming 'niche' were passed on from parents to their children. However, Shennan demonstrates that the demographic patterns associated with the spread of farming resulted in population booms and busts, not continuous expansion.

The first book to synthesise new ancient DNA results revolutionising our understanding of the spread of farming.

Provides a coherent account of the processes involved in the spread of farming.

The account is framed in terms of new ideas from the fields of human behavioural ecology and cultural evolution.

Copyright:

2018

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

ISBN-13:

9781108395267

Publisher:

Cambridge University Press

Date of Addition:

04/19/18

Copyrighted By:

Stephen Shennan

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Nonfiction, Technology

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.

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