Posted on 01/18/2011 7:02:14 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Round and rectangular buildings with grain silos at a Copper Age site in Israel suggested social stratification to the excavators. Using micromorphology, the author demonstrates that while the rectangular building was occupied by people, the round ones had contained animals, perhaps as providers of milk, and dung for fuel. While this removes the direct indication of social variance, it strengthens the argument that animals, as well as grain, formed the basis for the creation of surplus.
(Excerpt) Read more at antiquity.ac.uk ...
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social stratfication/... means some were wealthier than others?
really, is that a shock?
It`s much easier for an animal to run in a circle;
harder to run in a rectangle.
Yeah, I laughed at that one. “Social stratification isn’t attested in the archaeological record after all”. Of course, the next step will be, “what was good enough for our prehistoric ancestors...”
This guy needs to get out of the ivory tower more often. Of course properly managed breeding stock produces surplus. Why was Abraham tending flocks, hello?
Incidentally, that is the entire premise of the Heifer Project. Giving a poor third-world family breeding stock can quickly lift them out of poverty by the standards of the place. And once a village has several families doing this it can lift the entire village.
I wholewheatedly agree. The only sustainable economy / society is one based on surplus. Agriculture is the basis for civilization, and for that matter, the basis of animal husbandry.
They’re less likely to, it’s part of animal psychology. :’)
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