Life in 3,500 BC
In 3,500 BC people lived off the land and society was split into two – agricultural farmers and pastoralists.
11:00AM BST 10 Jun 2010
Comment
The most advanced civilisations are believed to have centred around the near East.
They would rise early with the sun to tend their crops or feed their livestock.
Diets were healthy. Meals would consist of milk, fruit, fish and meat – usually lamb or goat. Barley and bread was also available.
Herders and nomadic farmers had to keep their strength up as they would often walk through miles of mountainous terrain every day.
Winters were bitterly cold and harsh while summers were incredibly hot. Little was worn during the warm months.
Wool from sheep was used to keep people warm during the freezing temperatures.
Settlements were built near fertile valleys where water was available for washing and cooking.
Many lived in houses built out of mud brick and stone while others lived in caves.
It was an important time for the Near East as it was beginning to develop considerably.
Society started to become more sophisticated with increasingly complicated jobs and greater division of labour.
Trade in goods gathered momentum, wine production began, and the region became the key link between East and West.
