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In evolutionary anthropology, 'sedentism' is a term applied to the cultural transition from nomadic to permanent, year-round settlement. Initially during this transition, populations were still semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers with a primary homebase used for part of the year that was sedentary. This shift is coupled with the adoption of new subsistence strategies, specifically from foraging (hunter-gatherer) to agricultural and animal domestication. The development of sedentism led to the rise of population aggregation and formation of villages, cities, and other community types.
The Natufian culture, a Mesolithic group that occupied the Levant in ca. 12,000 BC, is the first known group to establish permanent settlements and domesticate plants (wild cereals) and animals (dogs). In North America, evidence for sedentism emerges around 4500 BC.

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References

See Also

Timeline of agriculture and food technology

References

Fagan, Brian. 2005. ''Ancient North America.'' Thames & Hudson, Ltd.: London.