Neolithic founder crops
The
Neolithic founder crops (or 'primary domesticates') are the eight species of
plant that were
domesticated by early
Holocene (
Pre-Pottery Neolithic A and
B) farming communities in the
Fertile Crescent region of
Southwest Asia. They consist of
flax, three
cereals and four
pulses, and are the first known domesticated plants in the world. Although domesticated
rye (
Secale cereale) occurs at Pre-Pottery Neolithic B sites, it is only as a minor element with other crops, and rye is not generally considered to be a founder crop.
Cereals*
Emmer (
Triticum dicoccum, descended from the wild
T. dicoccoides)
*
Einkorn (
Triticum monococcum, descended from the wild
T. boeoticum)
*
Barley (
Hordeum vulgare/sativum, descended from the wild
H. spontaneum)
Pulses*
Lentil (
Lens culinaris)
*
Pea (
Pisum sativum)
*
Chick pea (
Cicer arietinum)
*
Bitter vetch (
Vicia ervilia)
*
Broad bean (
Vicia faba)
Other*
Flax (
Linum usitatissimum)
