The Domestication of Plants
Agriculture and the societal changes that go along with a settled agrarian community spread throughout the world. "Why agriculture?" is not an easy question to answer. It is important to remember that though most cultures can trace their beginnings to early agricultural societies, a few foraging societies still persist today. Rather than fixating on who domesticated crops first or whether agriculture is inherently superior to foraging, it is more meaningful to think about how the domestication of plants influenced human society.
As humans shaped the evolution of crop plants, domesticated plants shaped the evolution of human society. As our food source became stationary and more reliable, human beings established permanent settlements. We as a society coevolved with the plants we selected for their desirable traits.
The significance of plants is not limited to their use as food. Plants have been used by human beings throughout history to construct a myriad of products from weaponry and shelter to baskets and ornaments. In addition to early domestication for food, some plant species were domesticated as sources of fiber. There is archeological evidence that flax (used to make linen) was domesticated in the Middle East along with food crops. Beyond the mundane, some plants had and still have important religious significance. The date palm was mentioned numerous times in the Bible and is still used today in Christian religious ceremonies. The lotus was sacred to the Ancient Egyptians, Buddhists and Hindus. Plants were used to treat ailments in an attempt to alleviate suffering. Lastly, plants were used as important flavoring agents. It is folly to think that spices were used primarily to mask the flavor of rotten food. Herbs and spices were first used most likely for the sheer pleasure of their flavor, rather than as a way to show off oneís wealth and in some cases, with the unintended benefit of preserving the food.