Introduction
10,000 B.C. can be described as the turning point in mankind’s history which marked the beginning of human civilization. Before this time in history man lived a nomadic lifestyle transferring from place to place once food sources ran short or natural forces caused them to move out. Yet, at the start of this era people began to congregate into larger and larger social groups and increasingly began to stay in just a single location (Cremo, 2011).
Reasons as to why this occurred have been hypothesized as either originating from the natural instinct of safety in numbers or some untold event that necessitated a combined effort in survival. Needless to say, it was around this time in history that the first true societies began to appear along the Fertile Crescent in Mesopotamia which various researchers attribute to the start of self-sufficient agricultural and animal domestication practices (Chiaroni, King & Underhill, 2008). In fact, people in this era did have what can be considered the equivalent of houses which were constructed out of mud bricks and thatched roofs.
Development of Agricultural Practices and the Population Boom
One of the more widely accepted theories regarding the start of permanent dwellings during this particular era in time is widely attributed to development of agricultural practices that made it more feasible to stay within a permanent location. In fact, 10,000 B.C. can be considered a period of transition wherein the previously prevalent hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the nomadic tribes existed alongside their growing predilection for the development of permanent residences which eventually resulted in a complete shift towards the development of established settlements (Chiaroni, King & Underhill, 2008).
It was actually the concentration of people within a particular area during this period of time that created the initial population boom of humanity. What must be understood is that early on the nomadic lifestyle that was predominant during the Paleolithic era was not conducive towards population growth (Cremo, 2011). It was only when people started congregating into a single location that more relationships could be established bringing about the population boom that necessitated the expansion of human society.
Stone tools, Temples, and Pottery
Another interesting aspect of this particular time period was the utilization of an array of stone tools for both harvesting, carving and even the building of small temples as seen in the Gobekli Tepe temple complex that to this day is heralded as the oldest manmade religious structure that has ever been discovered. Interestingly enough, at this time the development of pottery also became widespread as evidenced by the numerous pottery shards that were dated back to this period in time. Their creation was theorized as also coming about as a direct result of the congregated populations and the agrarian lifestyle they enjoyed which necessitated the need for storage devices for grain and other forms of edible crop (Cremo, 2011).
Conclusion
From the various examples presented in this paper, it can be seen that the various developments that started from 10,000 B.C. were pivotal in mankind’s history since not only did they necessitate the creation of modern-day society but also created the agricultural and animal domestication practices necessary to maintain a large population within a single area. It is based on this that 10,000 B.C. can be considered a pivotal turning point in mankind’s history and as such bodes more examination in order to understand how human development occurred.
Reference List
Chiaroni, J., King, R. J., & Underhill, P. A. (2008). Correlation of annual precipitation with human Y-chromosome diversity and the emergence of Neolithic agricultural and pastoral economies in the Fertile Crescent. Antiquity, 82(316), 281-289.
Cremo, M. A. (2011). Extreme Human Antiquity. Light Of Consciousness: Journal Of Spiritual Awakening, 23(2), 28.