BECAUSE THERE IS MUCH TO SAY, I HAVE DIVIDED YOUR LAST EMAIL IN HALF.
[Gerry]:
> The term Neolithic Revolution needs fine tuning. Does it
> reference state/class formation or does it reference the beginnings of
> agriculture?
>Alexander: Only the latter.
>Gerry wrote:
> Does Sumer also have agriculture?
>Alexander: Yes. (Are you kidding again ?)
Gerry here: No, I'm not kidding again. Just wanted to make sure you
knew so that both of us are talking about the same information.
>Gerry: Do the places in SE
> Asia have state/class formation?
>Alexander: Not until the Late Bronze Age.
Gerry here: I'm sorry, Alexander, but I cannot agree with you that only
agriculture is a component of the Neolithic Revolution. What's wrong
with the origins of civilization as part of the Neolithic Revolution?
Civilizations also originated in certain areas such as the Middle East
and Southeast Asia. Several posts ago I listed V. Gordon Childe's 10
criteria for "state formation" and my 11 criteria. Based on the
evidence presented through archaeology, anthropology, history,
linguistics, biology, etc. it would appear that BOTH "state formation"
and agriculture are components of the Neolithic Revolution. Now both
agriculture and state formation were present in the Middle East during
the Neolithic but (according to you) state formation wasn't present in
South East Asia until the Bronze Age. BTW, do you know of an instance
where state formation is present without agriculture?
[to be continued]