Food globalisation in prehistory: top down or bottom up?

摘要: Scholarly interest has been growing in an episode of Old World globalisation food resources significantly predating the ‘Silk Road’. This process was characteristic crosscontinental translocations starch-based crops mostly during third and second millennia BC but which might have initiated earlier period (Jones et al. 2011). Among these we can include a range originally from Southwest Asia, notably bread wheat barley, others northern China, such as broomcorn foxtail millet (Hunt 2008; Motuzaite-Matuzeviciute 2013). Parallel patterns crop movement between North Africa South Asia observed discussed some depth (Boivin & Fuller 2009; 2011; Boivin The impetus behind this growth expansion archaeobotanical research East over past decade (Fuller 2002; Crawford 2006; Lee 2007; Liu Zhao 2010). paper considers agents responsible for BC. A key aspect trans-Eurasian starch-crop that it constituted addition to agricultural systems, rather than regions devoid existing agriculture. Other economic plants, grapes, dates peas, also moved considerable distances archaeological record, often areas previously those plants. However, novel starchy held particular significance. In both cases, Asian barley millets went on become important staple foods many their new destinations.