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Accepted Paper:

Afro-Eurasian inner dryland civilization and animal power  
Yoshihito Shimada (Nagoya University)

Paper short abstract:

Animal power considered as main power for the formation of Afro-Eurasian inner dry land civilization, we discuss how this civilization has been supported with animal power so as to the re-evaluation of animal power. Animal power as one of the most important power pre-modern society could exploit.

Paper long abstract:

Afro-Eurasian Inner Dry land, spread from the Sahel in Africa to Mongol through Sahara, Middle East and Central Asia, has been the center for the formation of human civilizations: Great empires, long distant trade networks and world religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Civilization is a global culture integrating many local cultures into one system. How did it become possible in Afro-Eurasian Inner Dry land?

It is because of animal power particularly strong in transporting and military power.

As a means of transport, animal power made it possible the Afro-Eurasian continental trading network including both of Saharan trade and Silk Road in it with lots of international trade cities, creating numerous artisan cultures like cloths, metrology, ceramics, carpets and leather crafts, creation of world economy in a word. As a means of military and political domination, animal power made it possible the formation of the greatest empires with horse and camel power.

The two kinds of power have worked together in order to make Afro-Eurasian Inner Dry land Civilization. This was global international civilization where diver's districts and peoples had interacted. This is also principal reason why almost every world religions appeared and developed there.

It is also important to take into consideration other kinds of animal power: meat and milk production, leather and wool production and even dung production important as fire materials and pasture fertilizing power

This inner continental civilization has been however replaced by ocean sea centered modern civilization in the dominant power position.

Panel P109
Afro-Eurasian inner dry land civilization
  Session 1