ABSTRACT
For most of its lifetime on Earth, the human species was preoccupied with hunting and gathering in a never-ending quest for food. This enterprise required the full-time efforts of all members of a society, leaving little time for other pursuits. Food was where they found it, often requiring that they travel large distances in pursuit of game and edible plants. Storing food was very diffi cult, and people often perished during bitter winters or severe droughts. Some large animals that were abundant sources of meat objected strenuously to being used for that purpose and often the hunter lost the battle to secure a tasty meal of fresh meat and ended up as fresh meat for some carnivore. Life was hard, the trappings of civilization were minimal, and the human populations that could be supported remained small. Humankind’s imprint on the environment remained small, although some animal species were hunted to extinction and, in some areas, woodland was deliberately burned to provide grazing grasslands for game animals.
