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What evidence suggests that people at Netiv Hagdud cultivated wild barley?
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Origins of agriculture
Harvesting wheat on a farm in the grain belt near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. A potash mine appears in the distant background.
At the archaeological site of Netiv Hagdud in Israel, dating to approximately 11,500 years before present, evidence suggests that inhabitants engaged in an agricultural lifeway despite the absence of domesticated plants.1
While the barley found at the site remains wild in form, researchers point to the following evidence to suggest it was cultivated as a crop:
- Abundance: Wild barley is the most common plant food identified among the remains of grasses, legumes, and nuts at the site.1
- Toolkits: The occupants manufactured and utilized large quantities of sickles and grinding tools, which are indicative of intensive harvesting and processing.1
- Infrastructure: The presence of specialized storage facilities further supports the conclusion that the residents were managing and relying upon this plant as a primary food source.1
This evidence indicates that the intensive harvesting and management of wild grains preceded the biological process of plant domestication in the region.1