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Early domesticated fig in the Jordan Valley
Mordechai E Kislev1, Anat Hartmann, Ofer Bar-Yosef
1Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel. kislev@mail.biu.ac.il
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 3, 2006
Summary
Fig fruits discovered in the Lower Jordan Valley predate cereal domestication by 1,000 years. This suggests early Neolithic fig trees may have been the first domesticated plant, revolutionizing agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Archaeobotany
- Neolithic Studies
- Plant Domestication
Background:
- The Near East is widely recognized as the origin of early plant domestication.
- The Neolithic Revolution marked a significant shift towards agriculture and settled lifestyles.
Observation:
- Nine carbonized fig fruits and numerous drupelets were unearthed at Gilgal I, an early Neolithic village.
- The archaeological site in the Lower Jordan Valley dates back 11,400 to 11,200 years ago.
Findings:
- The discovered fig fruits suggest intentional cultivation and harvesting.
- Evidence points to the use of parthenocarpic fig trees propagated from cuttings.
Implications:
- Fig trees may represent the first domesticated plant, preceding cereals by approximately one millennium.
- This finding challenges the traditional timeline of the Neolithic Revolution and early agriculture.
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