On Fri, 3 Mar 2000 "Piotr Gasiorowski" <
gpiotr@...> writes:
The primary addressee of this message is Sabine, who asked about
Sherratt's secondary products revolution. But I'd like to invite
comments from anyone iterested in linguistic palaeontology.
The term "secondary products revolution" was introduced by A. G.
Sherratt (1981, 1983); it refers to the "second Neolithic revolution"
dated at the late fourth millennium BC and characterised by such
innovations as the exploitation of domestic animals for traction
(especially for pulling ards and wheeled vehicles), the processing of
the secondary products of animal husbandry (milk, wool, hides) to make
further derived products (such as cheese or woven textiles), and the use
of animal fertiliser. As a result, previously neglected areas became
suitable for colonisation, and road systems were built to enable the
bulk transport of raw materials and finished products across long
distances.
As PIE seems to have had words for concepts associated with the
secondary products revolution (ard, yoke, wagon, wheel, axle, wool,
weave, etc.), linguistic palaeontology suggests that the dispersal of IE
languages must have taken place somewhat later (say, 3000-2500 BC) -- of
course if the premises are correct, i.e. if there was a second Neolithic
revolution at all, if the cultural inventions in question have been
correctly dated, etc.
Piotr
Your explanation of the Second Neolithic Revolution is most interesting.
Besides Sherratt (1981, 1983) has anyone else handled the Revolution?
Further, are you in agreement with the linguistic palaeontology which
places the dispersal of PIE at 3000-2500 BC?
Gerry
--
Gerald Reinhart
Independent Scholar
(650) 321-7378
waluk@...
http://www.alekseevmanuscript.com