Sedentism

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Sedentism is the shift of people who live in non-permanent settlements to living in permanent settlements.

In archaeological terms identifying when people became sedentary is difficult. Data can be collected to determine if the occupants of a site were sedentary or not. Some of the data could consist of the following evidence, a greater variety of artifacts in an occupation level, the presence of seasonal foods, a thick scatter of tools and food remains, consistent human burials, permanent structures and an abundance of large tools that would not be mobile.

Basically means "settled"

[edit] Examples

In the Middle East, in an area called the Hilly Flanks, lived a group called the Natufians. They are known for the domestication of dogs, as well as their permanent residence along areas of water. This culture ate wild grasses and harvested the wild cereals that they collected. The cultivating of the wild cereals made them give up their nomadic ways.

Citation: Window on Humanity by Conrad Phillip Kottak. Chapter 7, page 155-156.

[edit] North America

In prehistoric North America the native people tended to have many base camps set up at numerous sites. They would occupy these sites during particular times of the year and exploit certain resources. Ancient Native Americans made the shift to permanent settlements around 4500 BC. To become sedentary the natives had to occupy a site that could give them abundant resources throughout the year.