{"id":10803,"date":"2026-01-01T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=10803"},"modified":"2026-03-26T18:35:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T18:35:33","slug":"looking-at-melinda-a-zeders-article-2025-unpacking-the-neolithic-part-2-of-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=10803","title":{"rendered":"Looking at Melinda A. Zeder’s Article (2025) “Unpacking the Neolithic” (Part 2 of 4)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

0024 Within two decades of V Gordon Childe’s publication, other voices attempt to shape the matter.  A list of twelve items really does not help, except for those who like to check boxes.  Nor does it indicate the… um… substance of the revolution that defines the neolithic archaeological period.  In other words, the items characterized observations and measurements of<\/em> phenomena<\/em>.  The noumenon<\/em> is what needs to be explained<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert J. Braidwood (1907-2003) made an intelligent guess about the noumenon,<\/em> the thing itself.  The neolithic emergence probably did not start in the great river valleys of southwest Asia.  It probably started in their hilly flanks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guess vastly simplified expectations as to what phenomena to look for,<\/em> as shown in the following figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0025 Here are some other advantages of Braidwood’s guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The selected material arrangements<\/em> are sort of like the old matter of lithic technologies<\/em>.  The continuity with the prehistoric human condition<\/em> concerns [technique], as the art of figuring material arrangements out<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Darwinian motif<\/em> lingers in the background.  Natural selection<\/em> worked against those who could not figure out the correct material conditions<\/em>.  The Marxist hylomorphe maintains its integrity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, the actuality2<\/sub> still fits into Childe’s breakthrough title<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0026 The material arrangements selected by Braidwood<\/em> also clarify the substance<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original contiguity of [technique] recalls efficient causalities.   The matter of paleolithic technologies<\/em> sets the stage for how hominins condition themselves<\/em> through techniques expressing efficient causalities<\/em>.  So does the matter of neolithic technologies<\/em>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

0027 The [substance] for Braidwood’s Marxist formulation anticipates different efficient causalities than for Childe’s.  The matter of six material arrangements2m<\/sub> constellates the substance of [location and domestication].  A new suite of efficient causes<\/em> emerges from a novel potential1<\/sub><\/em>.  Rather than man3<\/sub> making2<\/sub> himself1<\/sub>, a climate-bound interglacial ecology3<\/sub> makes2<\/sub> complementary seasonality (living at one location) and insurance (through domestication)1<\/sub> possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0028 In the following figure, I substitute [location and domestication] for [substance].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is Braidwood’s actuality2<\/sub>, an influential paradigm since the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0029 And, here is the accompanying nested form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0030 So, maybe man3<\/sub> does not make2<\/sub> himself1<\/sub>, climactic change3<\/sub> does.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

0024 Within two decades of V Gordon Childe’s publication, other voices attempt to shape the matter.  A list of twelve items really does not help, except for those who like to check boxes.  Nor does it indicate the… um… substance of the revolution that defines the neolithic archaeological period.  In other words, the items characterized observations and measurements of phenomena.  The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[418],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article-review"],"yoast_head":"\nLooking at Melinda A. 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