Neolithic revolution can also be referred to as agricultural revolution which is characterized by the human transition to early civilization and agricultural settlements form traveling groups of hunters and gatherers. The Neolithic revolution marked the end of humans living on whatever little nature provided and started controlling and co-operating with nature to get the best out of her (nature). Neolithic revolution results tend to be wholesome with multiple rewards and abundant supply of resources and has also increased the capabilities of man enabling them to accurately, precisely, and selectively manage whatever they would like nature to give. Neolithic revolution has brought with it different things such as herding, spiritual impacts, surplus food, money concept, hoe-culture, stratification, settlement, private, gender, and violence. The steps taken by man to control nature have proved to be effective thanks to the gradual improvements which have been a success with cumulative effects.
The Neolithic revolution had a great impact on mankind’s food surplus. After the shift from hunting and gathering, the human economy got transformed, giving man authority over own supply of food. Man started cultivating, planting and advance through the selection of edibles. The approach to cultivating the crops was a practice called hoe-culture which involved cultivating a piece of land several times till its fertility was exhausted and then moving to a new area and clearing it for cultivation (Childe, 1936). Once the new area also gets exhausted, another area is cleared. The approach gradually changed to include farming in alluvial deposits in river valleys such as the River Nile valley.
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Also, man prospered in humanizing and firmly attached certain animals to his people and could offer and afford many things such as protection and fodder at ago. Different types of edible plants have the capability of providing a diet which is staple under cultivation. Crops like barley, wheat, sweet potatoes, maize, rice, millet, and yams among others are capable of supporting large numbers of people (population) even in the present-day world (Childe, 1936). Some foods like wheat and barley could be stored for long which would further ensure there is food security ensuring constant food supply. Settlement of people revolved around land fertility as well as security such that where land is most fertile, and there is safety then most people are bound to settle there.
In addition to creating settlements and cultivating crops, the people also started domesticating animals through a lengthy process of selective breeding and studying the animals. In the end, the people had surplus food. Having surplus food meant that they were producing more than they could consume. They thus started developing methods of storing the food to consume while waiting for the next harvesting season (Childe, 1936). Besides, areas that were experiencing drought or famine could source their food from areas experiencing surplus production.
Neolithic revolution also brought about trading with it. Earlier on, trading among individuals was mainly through barter trade. Barter trade proved to be successful, which was achieved through exchange of goods and services for other goods and services which an individual may be lacking. Through this trading model, individuals acquired different socializing skills among other things which further boosted their relations. As time passed, a new style of trading emerged, and it requires actual money. This kind of trading meant that barter trade would not survive; trading with actual money was much easier and simple thus flexible.
Gender was an important construct during the Neolithic revolution since there is evidence of gendered specialization of labor. There is an indication that women may have taken up the responsibility of cultivating and tending to crops during the early stages of crop cultivation. Crops were mostly grown around human settlement and since people did not solely depend on agriculture, men mostly continued hunting and probable moving livestock around in search of better pasture after domestication (Childe, 1936). It sounds reasonable that those left at the settlements, mostly the women, would engage in crop cultivation to supplement the hunting and pastoralism. Also, women took a leading role in pottery and textile industry. Men also did fishing, land clearing, carpentry work, tool, and weapon making. Specialization may have also been a source of stratification in the Neolithic villages since many activities become household industries. Some were farmers, hunters, potters, herders and textile makers. Later institutions such as totemic clans start to emerge, clans expand, and differences in wealth among other differences state emerging (Childe, 1936). The differences further support stratification. Leadership structures, chieftains, and warrior classes start to emerge. The differences are evident in Neolithic dwellings and cemeteries
Spirituality in this era must have been made up of magico-religious notions which controlled outward political and social expression. According to Childe (1936), the magico-religious notions may have been made up of more or less coherent superstitions and beliefs. The crafts and other developments that man achieved during the Neolithic period must have continued to impact and shape the superstitions and beliefs. The people made cave paintings thought to be magical. Cults such as fertility cults started to emerge, and rituals were developed for various activities such as marriages. Curving of figurines such as goddesses became common, and worship of ancestral spirits may have also emerged.
The Neolithic period saw an enormous change in human life. The changes were occasioned by the start of cultivating crops and domesticating animals to supplement the hunter-gather substance. The changes result in the development of long-term human settlements that lasted longer than hunter-gatherer settlements. Humans experienced enormous development in different crafts and sciences that supported the agrarian lifestyle. There were also impacts on spirituality, surplus food production, money concept, hoe-culture, stratification, violence and gender roles.
References
Childe, V. G. (1936). Man makes himself . New York: Mentor Books.
