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Over the past decade, evidence has been mounting that our ancestors
developed skills to sail across large bodies of water early in
prehistory. In this fascinating volume, Alan Simmons summarizes and
synthesizes the evidence for prehistoric seafaring and island
habitation worldwide, then focuses on the Mediterranean. Recent
work in Melos, Crete, and elsewhere-- as well as Simmons' own work
in Cyprus-- demonstrate that long-distance sailing is a common
Paleolithic phenomenon. His comprehensive presentation of the key
evidence and findings will be of interest to both those interested
in prehistory and those interested in ancient seafaring.
Over the past decade, evidence has been mounting that our ancestors
developed skills to sail across large bodies of water early in
prehistory. In this fascinating volume, Alan Simmons summarizes and
synthesizes the evidence for prehistoric seafaring and island
habitation worldwide, then focuses on the Mediterranean. Recent
work in Melos, Crete, and elsewhere-- as well as Simmons' own work
in Cyprus-- demonstrate that long-distance sailing is a common
Paleolithic phenomenon. His comprehensive presentation of the key
evidence and findings will be of interest to both those interested
in prehistory and those interested in ancient seafaring.
The multidisciplinary research program at Akrotiri Aetokremnos is
important, in my op- ion, for three reasons: two empirical and one
conceptual. Quite apart from the archaeology, work at the site is a
major contribution to island biogeography, in that the Phanourios
sample-certainly the best from Cyprus and probably the best
anywhere in the world-has already provided, and will continue to
provide, important ecological and behavioral data on these
intriguing creatures. Dwarfed island faunas are important to our
understanding of the complex factors that shape natural selection
in ecologically closed environments over the evolutionary long
term. At Aetokremnos, we seem to have the "end" of a long sequence
of hippo evolution on the island. With comparative studies of other
Cypriot hippo faunas, we should be able to pin down the interval of
initial colonization by what were, pres- ably, normal-sized hippos,
and-if the other sites can be dated-document the dwarfing process
in considerable detail. Aetokremnos would still be a significant
paleontological - cality, even in the absence of evidence of a
human presence there. While reading the text of the monograph, a
number of questions strictly related to the paleontology occurred
to me. One was how to model the colonization process. There seems
to be little question that the large mammals colonized the island
by swimming to it (because, I gather, Cyprus has not been connected
to the mainland for roughly 5-6 m- lion years).
The multidisciplinary research program at Akrotiri Aetokremnos is
important, in my op- ion, for three reasons: two empirical and one
conceptual. Quite apart from the archaeology, work at the site is a
major contribution to island biogeography, in that the Phanourios
sample-certainly the best from Cyprus and probably the best
anywhere in the world-has already provided, and will continue to
provide, important ecological and behavioral data on these
intriguing creatures. Dwarfed island faunas are important to our
understanding of the complex factors that shape natural selection
in ecologically closed environments over the evolutionary long
term. At Aetokremnos, we seem to have the "end" of a long sequence
of hippo evolution on the island. With comparative studies of other
Cypriot hippo faunas, we should be able to pin down the interval of
initial colonization by what were, pres- ably, normal-sized hippos,
and-if the other sites can be dated-document the dwarfing process
in considerable detail. Aetokremnos would still be a significant
paleontological - cality, even in the absence of evidence of a
human presence there. While reading the text of the monograph, a
number of questions strictly related to the paleontology occurred
to me. One was how to model the colonization process. There seems
to be little question that the large mammals colonized the island
by swimming to it (because, I gather, Cyprus has not been connected
to the mainland for roughly 5-6 m- lion years).
One of humanity's most important milestones was the transition from
hunting and gathering to food production and permanent village
life. This Neolithic Revolution first occurred in the Near East,
changing the way humans interacted with their environment and each
other, setting the stage, ultimately, for the modern world.
Based on more than thirty years of fieldwork, this timely volume
examines the Neolithic Revolution in the Levantine Near East and
the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Alan H. Simmons explores recent
research regarding the emergence of Neolithic populations, using
both environmental and theoretical contexts, and incorporates
specific case studies based on his own excavations. In clear and
graceful prose, Simmons traces chronological and regional
differences within this land of immense environmental
contrasts--woodland, steppe, and desert. He argues that the
Neolithic Revolution can be seen in a variety of economic,
demographic, and social guises and that it lacked a single common
stimulus.
Each chapter includes sections on history, terminology, geographic
range, specific domesticated species, the composition of early
villages and households, and the development of social, symbolic,
and religious behavior. Most chapters include at least one case
study and conclude with a concise summary. In addition, Simmons
presents a unique chapter on the island of Cyprus, where intriguing
new research challenges assumptions about the impact and extent of
the Neolithic.
"The Neolithic Revolution in the Near East" conveys the diversity
of our Neolithic ancestors, providing a better understanding of the
period and the new social order that arose because of it. This
insightful volume will be especially useful to Near Eastern
scholars and to students of archaeology and the origins of
agriculture.
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