Agriculture emerged in at least three distinct places: these are the known as the “cradles of civilization”. One was the southwestern corner of Continent D, one was the northernmost point of Continent A, and the third was the southern portion of Continent E.
Continent A Cradle of Civilization
The second site is at the northern tip of Continent A where there is both a mediterranean and a subtropical climate. The group of cultures who inhabited this region are collectively called the Pre-Pkwak, although they can be divided into two main groups. The western Pre-Pkwak peoples spread to the southwest along the mediterranean coast and along the hot steppe coast where they grow Tsatsu and other hardy crops. The eastern Pre-Pkwak peoples spread southest along the savanna coast. During this time the early Biirai (people) culture emerges and trades goods from the desert with the Pre-Pkwak. The Biirai adopt some of the Pre-Pkwak agricultural practices and begin to grow Usuli and Tsatsu at their oases in the desert.
Staple starchy foods
- Faɲi - A grain which can grow in water like rice.
- Suɲau - A high yield grain like wheat.
- Tsatsu - A lower yield but hardier grain like millet.
Protein
- Hapa - A waterfowl like a duck.
- Qaña - A mammal which gives wool and milk like an alpaca.
- Xaŋi - A large mammal used as a beast of burden like a camel.
- Cari - A small legume like a lentil.
- Muqa - A legume which grows underground like a peanut.
Veggies
- Ruci - a leafy vegetable like lettuce.
- Xuqa - a long thin root vegetable like a carrot.
- Jaŋu - a thick bulbous root like swede.
- Timihu - a vegetable with an edible stalk like asparagus.
Fruit
- Usuli - Fruit of a palm tree like dates.
- Wita - a fruit like pomegranate.
- Katsa - a fruit like figs.
- Mati - a fruit like apricots.
- Wimixu - a fruit like peaches.
- ʃana - a fruit like a plum.
- ɲica - a fruit like cherries.
Continent D Cradle of Civilization
On the slopes of the mountains in the south of Continent D the Proto-Sakrat speakers begin cultivating the root crops their hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. In terraces down the slopes of the mountain Nab is grown where there is an abundance of water as it tolerates even total submergence. Where it is drier, Ranik is grown. Fruit trees are propagated and stands of Dleg are planted. Pukak, dja and nrog are kept as livestock in pens and kes and rabad are caught in the water.
Creating an abundance of food Sakrat-speaking peoples are able to spread across their home continent and across the islands and even onto continents C, A and, eventually, E.
Staple starchy foods
- Ranik - A starchy root like sweet potato.
- Nab - A starchy root like taro.
- Lared - A starchy tree fruit like a plantain.
- Tukar - A starchy tree fruit like breadfruit.
- Sib - The starchy pith of a palm tree like sago.
- Dleg - A grass with a thick edible core like sugarcane.
Protein
- Pukak - A jungle bird like a chicken.
- Kes - Fish of various kinds.
- Dja - A rodent like the polynesian rat.
- Nrog - A mammal eaten for meat like a pig. It looks like a little hippo because reasons.
- Rabad - A range of seafood such as clams, crabs and shrimp etc.
- Sruŋ - A legume like a chickpea.
Vegetables
- Basos - A leafy vegetable with many forms. Like cabbage, broccoli etc.
- Taw - A fruit of a vining plant like squash and pumpkins.
- Nabos - A root vegetable with edible leaves like swede or beetroot.
Fruits
- Dud - A hard tree fruit like a coconut.
- Daswi - A sour tree fruit like a lemon.
- Pwan - A juicy tree fruit like an orange.
- Tarun ??? (Yellow Fruit) - A tree fruit like a banana.
- Danid - A round tree fruit like a mango.
- Tarun ninja (Black Fruit) - A fruit with black skin and soft flesh like an avocado.
- Lep - Weird fruit 1 – A fruit a little larger than a mango divided into sections (usually 8-10), Each section has its own peel something like the skin of an orange although the fruit is a pale green all over. The individual segments once removed from the skin have a soft flesh a bit like a peach and each has a central seed. Picture a fruit made of several small peaches wrapped in orange skin.
- Tarun swi (Seed fruit) - Weird fruit 2 – A fruit with a thick rind surrounding a white creamy fruit filled with small seeds. The fruit is edible and nutritious but very bland tasting. The seeds when roasted taste delicious hence the name. Picture a sort of white avocado filled with little seeds.
- Ragum - Weird fruit 3 – Red fruit with spiny outer casing. Its flesh is chewy and sweet but tart. It has small seeds in the center.
- Sedil - Weird fruit 4 – Savoury palm berries. Bright red berries with a slightly sweet but mostly savoury taste. Imagine a red currant but with a taste like a well cooked chickpea.
Continent E Cradle of Civilization
Throughout the mediterranean and subtropical regions Maize is grown. The potatoes are more tolerant of cooler conditions and grow well where the maize cannot thrive. Animals are herded for their products and meat. Fruits and veggies are propagated deliberately.
Staple starchy foods
Protein
- Keɣwe - a legume like the common bean.
- Nɗoɓ - a mammal which provides wool and milk like a sheep.
- Nɗapo - a mammal which provides milk like cattle.
- Nɗɯʎ - a mammal used as a beast of burden like a horse.
Veggies
- Keʧ - A leafy vegetable like cabbage.
- Kazlez - A root vegetable like an onion.
- Koɗun - A vegetable with edible seed pods.
- Kaɓʒe - A vegetable with a fruit like an aubergine.
- Kaɓatsɯɣ - an edible aquatic plant like water chestnut or lotus root.
Fruit
- Ksiɓ - A vining fruit like grapes.
- Kusnaʤ - A berry like a raspberry.
- Kulɗat - A berry like a blackberry.
- Kulʃa - A berry like a currant.
- Zaksuɓ - An oily tree fruit like a olive.
- Zle - A tree fruit like an apple.
- Zuɗ - a tree fruit like a pear.
- Zintuʄ - a tree nut like almonds.
- Zwokɯn - a tree nut like walnuts.
Processed mɓaʎok foods
Applying the manmade inanimate class prefix s- to certain foods creates the word for processed versions of those foods.
- Skɯʄeʧ - corn flour. Usually nixtamalized.
- Skuɓʒa - dried potatoes like chuño.
- Skeʧ - fermented cabbage.
- Skazlez - pickled onions.
- Sazaksuɓ - olive oil.
- Siksiɓ - Wine.
- Skeɣwe - Fermented beans.
Credits
Based largely on work by @SHIP.