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Question

Difficulty: MediumCommand of Evidence: Textual

In her study of ancient agricultural transitions in the Mediterranean, archaeologist Dr. Sofia Rossi investigated the subsistence strategies of the Bronze Age Nuragic civilization in Sardinia. Rossi hypothesized that when faced with prolonged periods of severe drought, Nuragic communities did not abandon their settlements or rely primarily on wild foraging; instead, they managed the environmental stress by shifting their domestic economy from crop cultivation to sheep and goat pastoralism, taking advantage of these animals' high tolerance for arid conditions.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support Rossi’s hypothesis?

  1. Excavations of Nuragic settlements from a documented dry period show a substantial increase in the proportion of sheep and goat bones in domestic refuse, alongside a decline in grain-processing tools, with no evidence of site abandonment.Answer
  2. B
    Pollen analysis of regional soils indicates that wild, drought-tolerant tubers and wild berries remained highly abundant and were heavily gathered by hunter-gatherers across Sardinia during the drought.
  3. C
    Sardinian rock art from the late Bronze Age depicts large herds of sheep and goats, which scholars believe indicates that these animals were central to the spiritual and social lives of the Nuragic people.
  4. D
    Nuragic sites occupied during a period of optimal rainfall show high densities of cattle bones and grain storage jars, indicating a highly prosperous agricultural economy.

Answer

The finding that excavations of Nuragic settlements from a dry period show an increase in sheep and goat bones, fewer grain-processing tools, and no site abandonment.
The correct answer provides direct evidence of the predicted shift: a significant increase in sheep and goat remains alongside a decline in grain-processing tools during the dry period, while also showing that the communities did not abandon their settlements.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core hypothesis of the researcher.
The researcher's hypothesis is that during a drought, Nuragic communities adapted by shifting from crop cultivation to sheep/goat pastoralism while maintaining continuous habitation of their settlements rather than abandoning them or foraging.
This establishes the target conditions (drought, shifting to pastoralism, continuous habitation) that the correct evidence must support.
2
Evaluate the choices to find evidence showing this specific adaptive response during a drought.
The finding showing a higher ratio of sheep and goat bones (pastoralism), a drop in grain-processing tools (reduced crop cultivation), and continuous settlement during a dry period directly matches the researcher's claim.
This aligns exactly with the predicted archaeological signature of the hypothesized economic shift.

Key Concept

Identifying textual evidence that directly supports a specific scientific hypothesis or claim.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Command of Evidence: Textual

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