What shift in technology had to occur to move from Hunter / Gatherer to Farmer?

Question

What shift in technology had to occur to move from Hunter / Gatherer to Farmer?

Answer 1

Technology didn't shift people's mode of production.  The environment did.  People started to deliberately plant seeds they were otherwise reaping from natural stands.  Over time their choice of seeds made a difference in the traits found in their harvested grass, including larger, easier to process grains.  This could be done using simple technology.  It wasn't until grains had been domesticated that large scale cultivation took place, using more sophostocated technology.

The real "technology" was domestication itself, and it seems to have been the result of accident, not  a pre-planned strategy.

Answer 2

Tools changed from pure weaponry for hunting, and processing utensils related to gathering, to equipment connected to irrigation and farming, and the tethering and control of domesticated, hoofed animals...

Probably the plow, which is intimately involved with the planting of seed on a large scale, came into existence at this time!

Answer 3

I think the term you are looking for is "the Neolithic Revolution" which is characterized by a specialization in tools, domestication of plants and animals, you see climate changes, people living in larger and larger groups i.e. socioeconomic pressures. If your looking for one broad, general answer for a class, write down the domestication of wild plants, I am guessing that is the answer your prof is looking for.

Answer 4

Can you say permenent firepits?  Refuse desposal technology (another pit but w/e).  Theres some really interesting attempts at beds found in coastal European caves, things like piles of seaweed with shells on top that coincidentally had some of us scratching our heads for years.

Also let's not overlook the fact that the change to a sedentary life didn't occur overnight.  Semi-sedentary bands would have experimented with farming and permenent shelters while they rotated habitates seasonally or at any other whim of the prehistoric minds.  Technologies would have reflected that.