*History 8 First Towns and Villages Video Notes

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1. What item is considered to be the first example of complex technology?

First Towns and Villages states that the loom was considered to be the first example of complex technology. According to Merriam-Webster, a loom is known as a frame or machine for interlacing at right angles two or more sets of threads or yarns to form a cloth. Looms made it possible to create more sturdy and light woven baskets. They also led to the development of warmer and more durable clothing. Overall, looms greatly impacted the lives of the first to use them.

Works Cited:

The First Towns and Villages. 2003. Schlessinger Media, 2003. DVD.

“Sweat.” Merriam-Webster. 2012. Merriam-Webster. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweat>.

-Katie Malcolm

2. What was the disadvantage of people living so closely with the animals they herded?

3. What was the first domesticated farm animal? Non farm animal?

As these modern humans began to expand their knowledge, they started to domesticate animals. This helped them in many ways such as giving them a way to breed the best of the species and to eat the ones that did not meet the standards. The first domesticated farm animal was the goat. They were used for their meat, milk, wool, and dung to create fuel. This then led to pigs, sheep, and cattle. But, the goat was not the very first domesticated animal. Dogs were the first domesticated non-farm animal. They were discovered to be great companions for hunting, helping the people by leading them to the prey. They learned that by domesticating these animals at an early stage of the animals' life, they could use them to benefit themselves. The dogs and the goat were probably the first domesticated animals because they had the most benefits to give to the humans. Goats and dogs served as a big help in the lives of the New Stone Age humans.

Sources: http://archaeology.about.com/od/domestications/qt/goats.htm CF Manual: pg. 56-57 "The First Towns and Villages" Video

Louisa Morgan

4. What was the first artificial building material? Describe the process by which it was made.

5. What did people do with the skulls of their dead relatives? Why?

The early Natufians seemed to believe in "the spiritual presence and influence of deceased members of one’s group." As a way to pay tribute or worship the departed, after burial these people came back and removed the skulls. They plastered the outside of the skull, attempting to make a "portrait" of the lost person. They also added shells on the plaster for eyes of the person. From there, they were painted "skin-color" and given characteristic features in order to make them as accurate and defining as possible. Lastly, the skulls were placed where they could be respected, either in groups or by themselves.

Sources:

"The First Towns and Villages" Video http://www.humanjourney.us/NeothlithicEra.html

-Daniel Perrier

6. How do archaeologists think the stone columns found in Turkey were used?

Archaeologists think that the stone columns discovered in Turkey were used for an ancient ritual where the body of a dead person is exposed to vultures. The columns might have been used in a special ceremony as a platform to expose the body to vultures. The archaeologists came to that conclusion after examining the stone columns carefully and seeing the columns were all different sizes and therefore couldn't hold a roof up or support a building. In this ritual, called a sky burial, vultures eat the flesh away on the body leaving cleaned bones. In the flesh-eating process, the soul and spirit is said to be "freed". This ceremony might have been the first public burial of a person.

The Origins of Civilization / The First Towns & Villages. Schlessinger Media, 2003. DVD.

"The World's First Temple." Archaeology. Ed. Sandra Scham. Archaeology Institute of America, 2008. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://www.archaeology.org/0811/abstracts/turkey.html>.

-Maddie Shen

7. What effect did the people living in the Fertile Crescent have on the environment?

The Fertile Crescent is a semi-cirlce of fertile land in the Middle East that was heavily inhabited by Natufians. Over time, these villagers changed the land on which they lived. Using trees for so many purposes, the Natufians stripped the land of trees. The more wood they used, the farther they had to travel to get more, each journey more difficult than the last. Many trees could not grow back because the goats the Natufians had domesticated would eat the saplings and tear up the roots. The loss of trees meant a loss in fuel, so the Natufians had to use feces as fuel, leading to worse quality plaster. The land without trees became non-fertal, forcing many Natufians out. The population of 3,000 people dropped to several hundred. The towns in the Fertile Crescent became abandoned and these Natufians became nomads once more.

The First Towns and Villages. 2003. Schlessinger Media, 2003. DVD. "Fertile Crescent." Merriam-Webster. 2012. Merriam-Webster. Web. 18 Sept. 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fertile%20crescent>

-Bailey Slawin

8. What problem precipitated the invention of the plough?

9. Who were the "long house people"?