Question 1

Preserved seeds, tubers, and leaves are examples of

Accepted Answer

A

Question 2

What characteristic of wild grasses is NOT likely to have been consciously selected for by foragers in the process of domestication?

Accepted Answer

The process of domestication aimed at making plants more suitable for human use. A more brittle rachis would result in seeds dispersing before they could be harvested, which is undesirable for cultivation. Therefore, it's unlikely that early foragers would have selected for this trait.

Question 3

Explanations for the origins of domestication that argue for the importance of status competition or ideology are known as:

Accepted Answer

Cultural approaches argue that domestication was driven by the development of social and cultural systems, such as status competition or ideology, rather than purely environmental or material factors.

Question 4

Ian Hodder's approach to the origins of agriculture in Europe proposes that it entailed

Accepted Answer

Hodder's approach proposes that the origins of agriculture in Europe were driven by an increasing emphasis on human control and domination of nature, in response to a combination of both natural and social mechanisms. This involved a shift towards farming and sedentism, as people sought to manage their environment more effectively and reduce their dependency on wild resources. The development of agriculture in the nuclear zone (Option A) was part of this larger process, rather than the sole driver. Settlement of marginal areas (Option C) may have played a role in some regions, but is not a central component of Hodder's approach. While the origins of agriculture did involve a fundamental shift in worldview (Option D), this is also part of the broader emphasis on controlling and manipulating nature. The need to produce a surplus to meet the demands of local kin leaders (Option E) is not specifically mentioned in Hodder's approach.

Question 5

Competitive feasting, tribute payments, or offerings to the deities that promoted the development of human agency and, ultimately, of domestication and agriculture is an example of the cultural approach embraced by all of the following except

Accepted Answer

Braidwood, Childe, Hodder, and Watkins are all archaeologists who have emphasized cultural factors in the development of agriculture and complex societies. Binford, on the other hand, is known for his processual approach to archaeology, which emphasizes environmental and technological factors over cultural ones.

Question 6

Domestication may be evident in what aspect of archaeological herd demography?

Accepted Answer

In domesticated herds, young males are often culled for meat, leading to an abundance of young males in the archaeological record.

Question 7

What characteristic does NOT represent a common trait of animals suited for domestication?

Accepted Answer

A territorial animal may be difficult to domesticate as they have a strong attachment to their territory and may not thrive in a new environment.

Question 8

Pollen is an example of what type of archaeobotanical remains?

Accepted Answer

Pollen is a type of microfossil, which is a small archaeological remains that require viewing under a microscope to be identified.

Question 9

What species likely represents the first domesticated animal?

Accepted Answer

Dogs are considered to be the first domesticated animal. Studies suggest that they were domesticated from wolves around 15,000 years ago, and were used for hunting, herding, and protection. Domesticated cats, horses, cattle, and sheep all came later in history.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about the origins of domestication is correct?

Accepted Answer

Domestication occurred independently in various parts of the world, including the Near East, China, Mesoamerica, and the Andes, among others, reflecting a diversity of origins rather than a single source or a universal stage in human cultural evolution.

Question 11

What factor would not have likely influenced or predisposed wild grass seeds to unconscious modification by gatherers?

Accepted Answer

The factor that would not have likely influenced or predisposed wild grass seeds to unconscious modification by gatherers is that seeds from genetic variants end up in the gathering basket less often. This is because gatherers would not selectively choose seeds based on genetic variants, but rather on factors such as size, ease of collection, and yield.

Question 12

Environmental approaches for explaining the origins of domestication argue that it represents a more intensive use of the environment caused by:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Environmental approaches for explaining the origins of...

Question 13

The Neolithic Revolution is associated with:

Accepted Answer

The Neolithic Revolution is specifically associated with the development and spread of agriculture, which allowed for the growth of settled, agricultural societies. While other changes such as social differentiation and the development of state-level societies occurred during this time period, agriculture is the defining characteristic of the Neolithic Revolution.

Question 14

Which of the following does NOT represent a biochemical signature of diet?

Accepted Answer

The low concentration of lead found in bones is not related to the biochemical signature of diet, but rather to the storage of wine in lead containers. The other options all involve biochemical markers that can indicate aspects of an individual's diet.

Question 15

The change in relationship between humans, animals, and plants whereby they share a mutually beneficial association is known as:

Accepted Answer

The definition given in the question accurately describes symbiosis, which is a mutually beneficial relationship between two different species. None of the other options specifically refer to this type of relationship.

Question 16

Which statement below best defines the packing model proposed by Binford?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which statement below best defines the packing...

Question 17

A cultigen is defined as

Accepted Answer

A cultigen is a plant species that has been altered significantly through human care and intervention. It is under human control, and humans play an important role in its continued cultivation and survival. Therefore, option A, which defines a cultigen as a domesticated plant under human control, is the best choice.

Question 18

Domestication is defined as:

Accepted Answer

Domestication involves genetic changes in plants and animals that make them reliant on humans for survival and reproduction, distinguishing it from mere taming or cultivation.

Question 19

Agriculture is defined as:

Accepted Answer

Agriculture is the practice of propagation and exploitation of plants and animals by humans for food, fuel, clothing, and other purposes. This definition encompasses the cultivation of crops, animal husbandry, beekeeping, aquaculture, among others.

Question 20

The proposition that increased aridity in the Near East at the end of the Ice Age led to the development of domestication around permanent water sources is known as the

Accepted Answer

The proposition that increased aridity in the Near East at the end of the Ice Age led to the development of domestication around permanent water sources is known as the Oasis theory.

Quiz 14: Food Production