[Solved] Origin of Cereal Cultivation | Neolithic Age

The cultivation of cereals first started in-

[U.P.P.C.S. Mains 2005]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

The start of systematic agriculture is the defining feature of the 'Neolithic Revolution'.

Authentic Source Evidence

Archaeological evidence across the 'Fertile Crescent' and India (Mehrgarh) confirms that the transition to farming cereals occurred in the Neolithic Age (c. 10,000–8,000 BCE).

Analytical Breakdown

Neolithic Age (A): Known as the 'New Stone Age' where humans settled into villages and farmed wheat, barley, and rice.

Mesolithic: Focused on hunting-gathering with the first signs of herding, but not large-scale cereal farming.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Which were the first cereals to be domesticated?"

Wheat and Barley were the first cereal grains to be systematically cultivated.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Cereal cultivation allowed for food surpluses, which in turn supported population growth and the development of the first human civilizations."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Fertile Crescent 2 Mehrgarh 2