jan 1, 8500 BC - Domestication of Plants and Animals – (c. 8500 BCE)
Description:
Around 8500 BCE, in the Fertile Crescent (modern-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran), humans began the deliberate domestication of plants like wheat, barley, peas, and lentils, alongside animals such as goats and sheep. This process involved selecting and breeding species with desirable traits—like non-shattering grain stalks or docile temperaments—transforming wild resources into reliable food sources. Domestication was not a single event but a gradual shift that allowed communities to settle in one place, manage food production, and begin shaping their environments. These early domesticated species became the backbone of Neolithic agriculture and were essential to the rise of permanent settlements and complex societies.Added to timeline:
Date:
jan 1, 8500 BC
Now
~ 10533 years ago