Historically, researchers assumed that the transition from foraging to farming in the Fertile Crescent occurred rapidly due to a sudden drying period known as the Younger Dryas. However, recent botanical analyses at Tell Abu Hureyra show that domesticated rye was cultivated alongside wild grains for over a millennium, indicating a prolonged phase of co-management. Archaeologist Sarah Carter argues that early foragers did not fully abandon wild food sources because wild plants provided a crucial buffer against crop failures during years of unpredictable rainfall. Given that domesticated rye is far more sensitive to drought than its wild counterparts, which choice most logically completes the text?
- Athe unpredictable rainfall during the Younger Dryas actually benefited the cultivation of domesticated rye over wild varieties.
- a rapid, complete transition to relying solely on domesticated rye would have heightened the risk of food shortages for the foragers during drought years.Answer
- Cthe foragers at Tell Abu Hureyra actively selected for drought-resistant traits in domesticated rye to speed up the agricultural transition.
- Dagricultural economies are inherently less stable and more prone to collapse than foraging economies under any environmental conditions.
Answer
a rapid, complete transition to relying solely on domesticated rye would have heightened the risk of food shortages for the foragers during drought years.
The correct answer is supported by the text's assertion that wild plants served as a buffer against crop failure due to the drought sensitivity of domesticated rye. A complete, immediate shift to rye would have eliminated this buffer, leaving the population vulnerable during dry periods.
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Logical Inferences