THE RECORD
What changed
Across Southwest Asia, gathering, sowing and harvesting wild wheat and barley favoured traits such as non-shattering ears. This was a long process, not a single invention.
EVIDENCE
What remains
Charred seeds, rachis morphology, sickle traces and genetics reveal a gap between cultivation and morphological domestication.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Storable cereals changed seasonal planning and labour and supported longer residence.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
Research increasingly describes a mosaic involving several communities and regions rather than one birthplace.