Human and Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present Term Paper

Human and Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present - Term Paper Example Additionally, the roman farmers used various tools for farming. They used the ard to plough the land because it could break the soil into fine particles. According to Gedacht (9) they ploughed the land in right-angled directions to create an even surface. At times, the soil was heavy because it contained roots and vines. This forced the farmers to use heavy oxen to plough the land. During harvesting, they used sickles and scythes. However, they improved the sickle by moving the lever at a slant to the hilt to ensure minimal strain on the arm. Additionally, they developed an animal driven machine that could remove the crop’s head and insert into a container. During the hot climate, irrigation was vital for favorable crop growth. The farmers constructed dams and reservoirs lined with water-resistant cement to provide the requisite water to enhance production (Gedacht, 12). Irrigation was vital in dealing with the growing population because it assisted in sustaining the food grai ns output. These farmers exercised hoeing and weeding in a similar way as the present non-mechanized communities. They had adequate knowledge of growing diverse crops concurrently to minimize weed growth. Additionally, they were also conversant with the benefits of manure. This prompted them to graze their livestock on fallow land because this approach would replenish the land with manure (Frank 10). Additionally, the farmers incorporated the rotary practice in milling grain, a development that resulted to setting up of a water mill. However, the outcome of the diverse milling methods was varied flour grades. Hand milling was also an important practice among the Roman farmers. One hand controlled the mill while the remaining hand fed the machine with grains. Animal husbandry was prevalent among the Romans. They used donkeys and oxen during work and reared sheep for milk and wool. Apart from provision of food, the farmers reared goats because they provided hair for

Anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon (1964) writes of the Yanomamo of Coursework

Anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon (1964) writes of the Yanomamo of Venezuela as fierce people - Coursework Example The Yanomamo tribe of Venezuela lives in relatively small villages of around 40 to 250 people. For Chagnon, the Yanomamos are a â€Å"fierce people† because of their cultural practices. This particular group of people would usually express ferocity in several ways. First of all, the ferocious and violent tendencies of the Yanomamos are reflected in their decisions to initiate intervillage warfare in order to prevent another tribe to attack them in the future or perhaps simply in order to demonstrate their ferocity. Secondly, the Yanomamos would usually beat their wives when they want to vent their anger. Nevertheless, the unreasonableness of this act is no match for the fact that men would sometimes engage in a chest-pounding duel and take part in free-for-all club fights in order to settle disputes of insults and excessive demands. Lastly and certainly not the least, the Yanomamos prove themselves as truly a â€Å"fierce people† when they force their sons to fight each other in public duels while they parents rejoice in their fights. Thus, there is no way to diffuse the warlike image for this is inculcated in the Yanomamo even at a young age. All these violent and ferocious acts indeed somehow define the Yanomamos as a â€Å"fierce people.† The Yanomamos themselves have both a practical and a traditional or mythological origin for such ferocity that they demonstrate. The practical side to it is the idea that their ferocity is a â€Å"way of protecting valuable resources† and also a way of considering women and children as â€Å"valuable resources† (Robins, 2009). This means that the intervillage wars and the warlike predisposition of the Yanomamos serve either as a way to demonstrate superiority as well as to protect the tribe from attacks waged by other tribes. If the Yanomamos were not a â€Å"fierce people,† they would stand no chance against other tribes who would attack them at any time. Another justification of the Yanomamos for their being a â€Å"fierce† is mythological in origin. These people believe that people were â€Å"created from the blood of the moon† (Robins, 200 9). According to this origin myth, the moon was believed by the ancients to have devoured the souls of their children. Because of this, the human beings shot the moon with an arrow and from the blood that flowed out of this wound, the Yanomamos were born. The fact that the birth of the Yanomamos was one of blood and revenge in a way paved the way for them to believe that they are indeed a â€Å"fierce people† and in many ways they demonstrated and perpetuated this image. Question 3: In your own words, review the characteristics of peaceful societies and link these characteristics to two of the following five societies: the Ju/Wasi, the Semain of West Malaysia, the Inuit, the Xinguano of the Amazon region in South America, and the Buid of the Philippines. Peaceful societies maintain their peace by constantly aiming for a number of things. Firstly, these societies place a high value on developing the values of sharing and cooperation. This is to alleviate and avoid conflicts ov er material resources. Somehow, peaceful societies believe that if there is one thing that would disturb the peace among the members of the community, it would be the selfishness, greed and the refusal to share possessions. Thus, these characteristics are absent in a peaceful society. The Ju/wasi and the Buid of the Philippines are two examples of societies that exemplify peace. These two societies share similar qualities, all of which are focused upon the good of the community as a whole, and not over material things or the benefit of the individual. Another characteristic of a peaceful society is the condemnation of those who boast about their accomplishments, especially if this would most likely trigger hatred, envy or