Julian Cope presents Head Heritage | The Modern Antiquarian Forum

Earthstepper

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Re: Settlers, semi-settlers, nomad-hunters

Apr 20, 2004, 21:55

Just catching up on this fascinating discussion and so may be repeating somethings already said. Terms like hunting, herding and farming need to be clear. All too often we read of the move from hunting/gathering to farming with "one mighty bound". What do we mean by "farming"? The term is often specifically used to mean agriculture - scattering seeds and staying in one place long enough to reap the crops. Fair enough, but agriculture and farming are not synonymous. Farming also includes herding and surely there is a clear developmental link between chasing herds of wild animals and farming them by means of selective breeding, culling, feeding, corralling and movement by means of Francis Pryor's famous droveways. This would require a settled or semi nomadic lifestyle. When does fishing and shell fish gathering become farming? With fish traps and oyster beds?

The point I am really trying to make is that there is a big difference between farming animals and growing crops. I suggest that herding animals was a natural evolutionary step from hunting them and that animal husbandry occurred long before agriculture. I further suggest that the first monuments in wood or stone were territorial markers when semi nomadic herdsmen wanted to stake out their patch. The concept of land ownership is linked to animal farming and agriculture as Native Americans, San Bushmen and other recent hunter-gatherer societies found to their cost in the 19th century. Perhaps monuments became more elaborate as people settled in one place. Perhaps they are just another way of saying "Keep Out!"

In reply to:
Settlers, semi-settlers, nomad-hunters (Annexus Quamm)

Replies:
Re: Settlers, semi-settlers, nomad-hunters (GordonP)

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