How Food Made History

Covering 5,000 years of global history, How Food Made History traces the changing patterns of food production and consumption that have molded economic and social life and contributed fundamentally to the development of government and complex societies.

• Charts the changing technologies that have increased crop yields, enabled the industrial processing and preservation of food, and made transportation possible over great distances
• Considers social attitudes towards food, religious prohibitions, health and nutrition, and the politics of distribution
• Offers a fresh understanding of world history through the discussion of food

Illustrations viii

Preface ix

Prologue: Questions of choice? 1

References 5

1 The Creation of Food Worlds 7

Making the ancient world food map 8

The origins of domestication, agriculture, and urbanization 11

Food worlds at 5000 BP 15

Seven claims 29

References 31

2 Genetics and Geography 35

Genetic modification, ancient and modern 36

Prohibitions and taboos 43

Geographical redistribution 47

Three claims 53

References 53

3 Forest, Farm, Factory 57

Forest gardens 58

Crop farming landscapes 62

Industrialized agriculture 70

Five claims 77

References 78

4 Hunting, Herding, Fishing 81

Hunting 83

Herding 91

Fishing 94

Two claims 100

References 100

5 Preservation and Processing 103

Ancient preservation 103

Ancient processing 106

Modern milling 108

Packaging 111

Freezing and chilling 112

Milk, butter, yoghurt, and cheese 115

Three claims 123

References 123

6 Trade 125

Ancient trades 126

Modern trades 131

The global supermarket 136

Two claims 140

References 141

7 Cooking, Class, and Consumption 143

Cooks 143

Cooking 146

Eating places 149

Meals and mealtimes 156

References 158

8 National, Regional, and Global Cuisines 161

Cuisine, high and low 164

The origins of cuisines 168

Megaregions and pan-ethnicity 182

Global foods 185

Three claims and counterclaims 188

References 188

9 Eating Well, Eating Badly 191

Nutrition and diet 191

Stature 195

Obesity 199

Dieting 203

Denial 204

Vegetarianism 207

References 211

10 Starving 215

Famine 217

Famine foods 224

Survival strategies 226

Food aid 228

Impact 232

Two claims 234

References 235

Conclusion: Cornucopia or Pandora’s Box? 237

References 241

Suggested Further Reading 243

Index 251

“. . . an excellent short introduction for the general reader.” (BBC History Magazine, 1 October 2012)

B. W. Higman is Emeritus Professor of the Australian National University and Emeritus Professor of the University of the West Indies. He has published several books on the history of slavery and the social and economic history of the Caribbean. He has taught courses on world food history, and is the author of Jamaican Food: History, Biology, Culture (2008). Food is at the center of life, and as such, it is a vital driver of cultural and political development. It is only recently that some societies have started to enjoy food security and year-long abundance. By asking why we choose to eat what we eat, How Food Made History examines how this transition occurred, and why these developments have varied over time and between societies. Crucially, in demonstrating the centrality of food to human development, the book illuminates broader patterns of global history.

How Food Made History offers a wide-ranging overview of 5,000 years of global history, a period dominated by agriculture and urbanization. It traces the changing patterns of food production and consumption that have molded economic and social life and contributed fundamentally to the development of government and complex societies. The author also charts the changing technologies that have increased crop yields, enabled the industrial processing and preservation of food, and made possible trade and transportation. Higman places recent trends, such as the co-existence of abundance and famine, obesity and dieting, into historical context and provides a fresh understanding of the importance of food in world history for modern readers.

‘How Food Made History is a magisterial work. Using an impressive array of sources, Higman situates the 20th -century green revolution within the context of the agricultural revolution that occurred in prehistory and offers surprising insights into our relationship with the natural world. This book argues convincingly that our food choices today remain remarkably similar to those that faced our distant forebears. A must-read for anyone interested in the larger history of food.’
—Darra Goldstein, Editor in Chief, Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture

‘Higman has done an admirable job of synthesizing a vast array of material into a readable account spanning millennia… a very impressive book and an enjoyable read.’
—Rebecca Earle, University of Warwick

‘A fascinating history of food but more as well: an exploration of how human beings have interacted with and affected their environment in trying to obtain enough to eat as well as seeking pleasure and variety.’
—Paul Freedman, Yale University