Final answer:
The earliest known food gathering strategy is gathering-hunting, in which early humans depended on collecting plant foods and hunting wild animals. Gathering played a more vital role than hunting, especially considering the contributions of women to early human societies. This subsistence method was predominant until the Agricultural Revolution about 12,000 years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest form of a food gathering strategy utilized by our ancestors is known as gathering-hunting. This subsistence strategy involves the collection of fruits, nuts, berries, roots, and honey, along with hunting wild animals and fishing. Evidence suggests that humans and their hominin ancestors relied on this mode of subsistence for over two million years, making it deeply ingrained in our evolutionary history. The hunter-gatherer lifestyle provided a balanced diet and involved a nomadic existence where small groups would move following the availability of natural resources.
It is important to note that the order of the terms in 'gathering-hunting' is intentional, with gathering being the primary source of nutrients and calories. Archaeological evidence and the study of contemporary foraging societies support the idea that gathering, often spearheaded by women, played a critical role in the survival and evolution of early humans. In contrast to the 'man the hunter' view, the 'woman the gatherer' hypothesis underscores the equal importance of women's contributions, with tools like digging sticks and baby slings potentially being as revolutionary as those used in hunting
With the advent of the Agricultural Revolution about 12,000 years ago, subsistence strategies began to shift toward farming and domestication of animals, marking a significant transformation in human history. However, the shift to agriculture did not immediately offer a superior rate of food production per hour of human effort when compared to the gathering-hunting lifestyle.