Alcohol's Neolithic Origins: Brewing up a civilization.

[Adsos Letter]

Source: SpiegelOnline International
By Frank Thadeusz

Did our Neolithic ancestors turn to agriculture so that they could be sure of a tipple? US Archaeologist Patrick McGovern thinks so. The expert on identifying traces of alcohol in prehistoric sites reckons the thirst for a brew was enough of an incentive to start growing crops.

It turns out the fall of man probably didn't begin with an apple. More likely, it was a handful of mushy figs that first led humankind astray.

Here is how the story likely began -- a prehistoric human picked up some dropped fruit from the ground and popped it unsuspectingly into his or her mouth. The first effect was nothing more than an agreeably bittersweet flavor spreading across the palate. But as alcohol entered the bloodstream, the brain started sending out a new message -- whatever that was, I want more of it!

Humankind's first encounters with alcohol in the form of fermented fruit probably occurred in just such an accidental fashion. But once they were familiar with the effect, archaeologist Patrick McGovern believes, humans stopped at nothing in their pursuit of frequent intoxication.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0%2C1518%2C668642%2C00.html

[alfredo]

1. They probably threw a pot plant on a fire and liked the aroma,

so they took some whiffs and the next thing you know, they had invented cheese puffs and pepperoni pizzas.

Michael Pollan wrote that Johnny Appleseed was planting trees for hard cider and Apple Jack. The apples were to sour to eat, but they made good booze.

"Botany of Desire" Michael Pollan.

[Hestia]

2. Not to thread drift but...in my MG classes, the teacher said that Johnny Appleseed

was capitalist. Illinois, Indiana, somewhere like that, the counties would only sell acreage that had apple trees on them (seems Johnny had some friends with the board), so he went around and planted apple trees and a huge profit on the land.

[alfredo]

3. Right. I bet the early fig wine makers were making a good

living too.

[KittyWampus]

4. It couldn't be that early humans were as capable of observation, deduction and planning

as we are?

As a cultural anthropologist I find this sort of thing rather patriarchal towards our early ancestors.