Foods of the Ancient Past
How did people make a living in the past? Here are some studies about ancient foods, both grown and harvested.
Cacao in Mesoamerica
Criollo cacao (Theobroma cacao spp cacao) is the name of a small tropical tree with large ovate fruit, native to the northern Amazon of South America but found in ancient planted groves throughout central America.
Criollo cacao (Theobroma cacao spp cacao) is the name of a small tropical tree with large ovate fruit, native to the northern Amazon of South America but found in ancient planted groves throughout central America.
Feast: Why Humans Share Food
Martin Jones' Feast: Why Humans Share Food uses both broad and specific views to examine the social history of sharing meals, from Homo erectus to TV dinners.
Martin Jones' Feast: Why Humans Share Food uses both broad and specific views to examine the social history of sharing meals, from Homo erectus to TV dinners.
Caribbean Rum: A Social and Economic History - Book Review
Frederick Smith's Caribbean Rum details the story of rum making within the context of the African and European cultures, both at home and in the colonies, the political machinations of intercontinental trade, the competing colonial markets and the effects of treaties and conflicts.
Frederick Smith's Caribbean Rum details the story of rum making within the context of the African and European cultures, both at home and in the colonies, the political machinations of intercontinental trade, the competing colonial markets and the effects of treaties and conflicts.
Taste of Rome
From the Sussex Archaeological Society, all the information you need to throw a great Roman dinner party.
From the Sussex Archaeological Society, all the information you need to throw a great Roman dinner party.
Investigating Chinampa Farming
A field report on Jeffrey Parsons' excavation at Ch-Az-195, a site with evidence of chinampa farming during the Aztec period in the basin of Mexico. From the Cotsen Institute's Back Dirt newsletter.
A field report on Jeffrey Parsons' excavation at Ch-Az-195, a site with evidence of chinampa farming during the Aztec period in the basin of Mexico. From the Cotsen Institute's Back Dirt newsletter.
American Megafaunal Extinctions Reconsidered
A news story from researchers at the University of Florida suggests megafaunal extinctions may have been the result of human predation, rather than climate change.
A news story from researchers at the University of Florida suggests megafaunal extinctions may have been the result of human predation, rather than climate change.
Horticulture
Horticulture is people tending food crops, rather than planting them. For example, in the past, people would tend native stands of wheat or wild rice, before they learned to grow them independently. Horticulture is a subsistence strategy between hunting and gathering and full fledged agriculture.
Horticulture is people tending food crops, rather than planting them. For example, in the past, people would tend native stands of wheat or wild rice, before they learned to grow them independently. Horticulture is a subsistence strategy between hunting and gathering and full fledged agriculture.
Hunter-gatherers
Hunting and gathering was the lifestyle of all human beings until the invention of agriculture about 8000 years ago; and, to state it simply, hunter-gatherers hunt game and collect plant foods.
Hunting and gathering was the lifestyle of all human beings until the invention of agriculture about 8000 years ago; and, to state it simply, hunter-gatherers hunt game and collect plant foods.
Subsistence
Subsistence, to an archaeologist anyway, refers to the suite of behaviors that humans use to feed themselves: how they grow or gather food, how they process food, how they prepare food.
Subsistence, to an archaeologist anyway, refers to the suite of behaviors that humans use to feed themselves: how they grow or gather food, how they process food, how they prepare food.
Ancient Chinese Rice Archaeological Project
From Bryan C. Gordon at Carleton University, a veritable treasure trove of papers on the origins of rice agriculture translated from Chinese into English.
From Bryan C. Gordon at Carleton University, a veritable treasure trove of papers on the origins of rice agriculture translated from Chinese into English.
Chocolate: Food of the Gods
A brief history of Mesoamerican adaptation, domestication and use of the ancient food and ritual drink of chocolate, from the Athena Review.
A brief history of Mesoamerican adaptation, domestication and use of the ancient food and ritual drink of chocolate, from the Athena Review.
Old Goats in Transition
From the Smithsonian Institution, a snippet on the domestication of the goat as it was herded and used as an ancient food source, as seen from archaeological sites in Iran.
From the Smithsonian Institution, a snippet on the domestication of the goat as it was herded and used as an ancient food source, as seen from archaeological sites in Iran.
Andrew Webber's Beer or Bread?
And, closely associated with the domestication of wheat, is the fermentation of beer.
And, closely associated with the domestication of wheat, is the fermentation of beer.
Wine - the Origins of Wine
Wine, an alcoholic beverage made from grapes, was probably first made about 5,500 years ago.
Wine, an alcoholic beverage made from grapes, was probably first made about 5,500 years ago.
Pastoralism
Pastoralism is the name given to the way of life in which people herd animals.
Pastoralism is the name given to the way of life in which people herd animals.