ArchaeologyLesson 1 of 3 in the course Early Civilizations and Urban Societies

Early Urban Societies: Surplus, Settlement, and Archaeological Interpretation

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Early civilizations developed when farming communities grew, settled in concentrated areas, and produced more food and materials than they immediately needed. This surplus changed how people worked, exchanged goods, governed communities, and related to one another.

Many people continued to live as nomadic or seminomadic hunters, gatherers, or herders after farming began. They generally produced or collected what their family needed, and family units were largely self-sufficient. In small communities, people shared necessary tasks, wealth differences were limited, and leaders often depended on consensus. Elders and other community members helped maintain order through negotiation and shared customs.

All flashcards

Food surplus
Food produced beyond what a household or community needs for immediate consumption.
Specialization of labor
The practice of focusing on particular kinds of work instead of producing everything needed.
Social stratification
A hierarchy in which people or families differ in wealth, status, and power.
Archaeological inference
An interpretation drawn from material evidence rather than directly observed in it.
Mobile peoples
Nomadic or seminomadic communities that supplied resources and connected distant cities.

Quiz questions

  1. What can archaeologists conclude with certainty about the original purpose of Jericho's tower?Answer: Its purpose is uncertain; proposed roles include defense, ritual, or observation.
  2. Which detail is directly observable on a plastered human skull found at Jericho?Answer: The skull was plastered, with shell pieces placed in its eye sockets.
  3. What does the construction of Jericho's tower suggest about its inhabitants?Answer: They could organize labor, though this does not prove a particular form of government.
  4. What do bull heads and horns found at Çatalhöyük establish about the community's beliefs?Answer: They suggest symbolic practices mattered, but do not reveal exact beliefs.
  5. Which statement best describes the development of early urban life?Answer: It was gradual, and mobile communities continued to interact with cities.

Based on World History Volume 1, to 1500 by Ann Kordas, Ryan J. Lynch, Brooke Nelson, Julie Tatlock (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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