As we said in our previous article on the invention of agriculture in the period neolithicthis innovation caused great transformations in the societies. They marked so deeply the history of mankind which are still present to this day. The city arises as the axis of the society. The social and economic inequality among the inhabitants it becomes a constant.
Neolithic archaeological site of Fayoum in Egypt
Settlement Form
The care of crop and the livestock domestic was the origin of permanent settlements for these populations, since the cattle raising and the farming They need permanent care and work. The societies who live in a fixed place are calledsedentary”.
This is how the first villages made up of groups of households made of mud, straw, wood. Some households they could have several rooms, and there were no marked differences in wealth or size between them.
The new forms of food promoted the population growth and with the passage of time the villages they are increasing in size. Around the year 4,500 BC, the first cities. This process was calledurban revolution” and also began in the Near East.
Illustration that represents the constructions of the city of Catal Huyuk
In the citiesthe households They were built with adobe bricks, a much more resistant material that was made with clay. Now there are significant differences in size and wealth. in these citiesalso appear big constructions they need a lot workforce: large irrigation works, ramparts for protection and temples for the worship of God of the city.
Social organization
In the beginning, when the societies They lived in villages of medium size, the tasks were divided by sex. the men were shepherds of the cattle and did some tasks of the crop. The women collected harvest and stored it.
Slowly, some individuals in the community specialize in certain tasks (sorcerers, artisans), but they also continue with their work with cattle and crops.
With the appearance of citiesthe society is profoundly transformed. A part of the population stop working in food production and become full time specialists: the artisansthe Warriors and the priests.
Ggantija Temple in Malta
The priests assumed the role of political boss. Managed the resources of the city and organized the workforce for the big constructions. They also made the distribution of economic surplus (they received food from the producers and distributed them to specialists engaged in other tasks).
The bosses they were distinguished from the rest of the community by their positions, dresses, luxurious ornaments and privileged access to goods. These societies that have a mark social and economic inequality among its members are called stratified.
Sources:
ES 1, Social Sciences, in: portal abc
Universal History 1. Prehistory and early civilizations. Barcelona, publisher Sol 90, 2004.
Images:
Neolithic archaeological site of Fayoum in Egypt, in Google
Illustration that represents the constructions of the city of Catal Huyuk, in: Universal History 1. Prehistory and early civilizations. Barcelona, publisher Sol 90, 2004.
Ggantija Temple in Maltaon Wikipedia