Different mechanisms shaped the transition to farming in Europe and the North American Woodland

TL;DR

This study uses a numerical model to compare how agriculture emerged differently in Europe and Eastern North America, highlighting the roles of diffusion, migration, and environmental factors in shaping these transitions.

Contribution

It introduces a regional socio-technological evolution model (GLUES) to realistically simulate and explain the distinct pathways to agriculture in Europe and ENA.

Findings

Europe rapidly adopted agriculture through diffusion and domesticate exchange.

ENA experienced a gradual transition with coexistence of hunting-gathering and farming.

Model successfully explains timing, speed, and mechanisms of agricultural transition.

Abstract

The introduction and emergence of agriculture into Eastern North America (ENA) and Europe proceeded very differently in both subcontinents: it varied in timing, speed, and mechanism. Common to both regions, agricultural subsistence profited from the introduction of major staple crops which had been domesticated elsewhere; in both regions, the temperate climate and originally predominant forest vegetation provided an environmental context conducive to agriculture. To understand the different paths to agricultural subsistence, an integrated view of technological innovation, domestication and exchange of domesticates, migration and trade is required within the constraints imposed by the environmental context and geography. This study makes use of a numerical model of regional socio-technological evolution which builds on adaptation of important characteristics of prehistoric societies such as technology and subsistence diversity. With this Global Land Use and Technological Evolution Simulator (GLUES), regional transitions from foraging to agropastoralism, and associated land use and demographic changes are realistically hindcasted. I show that the model is capable of explaining the different timing, speed, and transition mechanisms: Europe received a large package of foreign domesticates and converted rapidly to agriculture, this fast transition can be best explained with demic and cultural diffusion followed by fast adoption by resident foragers. In contrast, ENA trajectories show a more gradual transition. Hunting-gathering and agropastoral life style coexisted for a long time and agriculture was adopted slowly into the existing subsistence scheme.