HIS-1101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Basket Weaving, Matriarchy, Herding
Early Jericho: The Matrix and Neolithic Matriarchy
I. Jericho, Canaan is oldest permanently settled site anywhere
A. Hilltop settlement: 300 feet above plain/valley
B. Surrounding Valley: 30 square miles of mixed terrain and variety of
resources
C. Probably took 2-3 generations to build
1. Village- 2500 permanent residents, 14 acres
2. Territory: fields (grain), garden (veggies), paddocks (animals),
orchards (fruit), vineyards (grapes), pastures (animals)
II. The matrix- chart to help organize info for compare/contrast
A. Theory of Neolithic matriarchy
1. Once heavy construction was over, socio-economic forces tended
to promote women into higher status
a) Golden Rule: women’s work more valuable and productive
b) Visibility: women’s work constantly on display while men’s
out of view
c) Consciousness: women perceived as superior
III. Women:
A. Food-
1. Agriculture is #1, 60% of diet, fields, orchards, vineyards
2. Gardening- increasing supplemental source of food and raw
materials
B. Crafts-
1. Old crafts- leatherwork and furs
2. Basket weaving- storage and distribution
3. Pottery
4. Alcohol- beer, wine, cider, rewards!
C. Trade-
1. Surplus- would go to waste if not traded elsewhere
2. Imports- rare earths (glazes, dyes, paints), seashells and stone
(bling)
IV. Men-
A. Food-
1. Herding is #1, sheeps, goats, pigs, ducks, geese, donkeys, ox and
cattle
2. Hunting- less important, 40% of diet
B. Crafts-
1. Supply raw materials- lower value
2. No connection to storage
