This timeline will take a deviation from the normal Alternative Zoology that I normally write about. Instead, I will take a POD with a mild about of implausibility, and use it to present an alternate way that a civilization could develop. Not the normal way we think of today, just a different way of having a culture develop and flourish. Enjoy.
POD- In 3550 B.C. the volcano Kikai off southern Kyushu erupts, but it is only the first. Following its eruption, many other volcanoes are trigged, and numerous earthquakes. The eruptions cover most of Kyushu in ash, uninhabitable for a number of years. People living here, the Jomon, flee north to Honshu and east to the Pacific Northwest.
The Jomon, meaning cord mark, were one of the greatest cultures of prehistory Japan. During the time of the Jomon, they had one of the highest technical and artistic pottery of any Stone Age Culture. Although pottery usually comes before agriculture, the Jomon were an exception. By fishing in one of the richest areas in the word, they had no need for agriculture.
They have no need for agriculture in the New World either. Like their homeland, the Pacific Northwest is 'wonderfully productive.' Hunting, gathering and fishing are enough to support the Jomon, and allow them to continue their lives without the Koreans bothering them, as happened in the Old World. Here their ‘fisher-gatherer’ culture is allowed to flourish.
Although a skilled fisherman in a rich area can catch enough fish to support him and several others, the fisher-gatherer society of the Neo-Jomon does not allow for large cities, stopping at the village level. While a fisher-gatherer civilization can support up to four or five times the amount a hunter-gatherer can, it is far behind that an agricultural civilization can support. However, this does not mean they stopped evolving culturally. No, they develop a culture far different then the farming culture we know of.
Fish are a year round crop, they do not need time to grow them. Neither do they keep well, unless salted. This first cancels out the second, allowing for a steady source of food mostly year round. Numbers progress slowly, with a difficult pictograph system, which can be used for records but makes it harder to do problems like multiplication. Think of using Roman Numerals for everything. They didn't work as well as the Gupta numbers, which is why we switched. The Neo-Jomon do not have this option.
Without a farmland, or farm animals, ownership is less defined. The water is bountiful enough, and the population low enough, so that feuds over fishing rights are few and far between. Geometry and records, which might have helped an easier math system, do not evolve. Conflict is at a minimum, and shows in the lack of warfare and their peaceful nature.
Irrigation for farmlands is not needed, nor are roads. Without these two, large engineering projects are not commonplace. In addition, since fishing is year round, there is no 'off season' for these projects to take place. Along with no time for large projects, there is little time for ritual war. Society is less hierarchical and organized. As there is no off-season for long-term projects such as building and wars, sort time projects that can be done over a long time grow.
Stated over and over again, fishing is a year round opportunity. Why keep track of time when you can fish all the time? The Neo-Jomon do not spend energy on such things as where the sun rises on the summer solstice, let along when it is. Celestial navigation is something used, but as most boats are not of the technology to venture far out, it is not as common as in other parts of the Pacific.
Agriculture plays a major role in the development of religion. The endless cycle of how the plants will sprout, then spread their seeds, and die away, gives rise to ideas of rebirth and reincarnation. A strong ethics of sharing, helping a fellow man out in bad times, is common. Fishermen have good and bad days sometimes, and other fisherman will play their part to help them out.
Without the concern for the changing seasons, Polytheism isn't a Neo-Jomon concept. Instead, they have a belief in Two Gods. A look at Zoroastrianism will show many similarities, although the war between good and evil is less important. It is more like feuding siblings than direct war between two warring sides. These are, of course, generalizations. These two gave birth no only to humanity, animals and plants, but also the assortment of sprits.
Other beliefs that are mentionable is that they are the last survivors of a great empire to the West, which was destroyed suddenly with a period of fire from the sky. This somewhat factual idea will give many Atlantis-Mu supporters something to play with far into the future. Also, they tell stories of the first children of Sea and Earth (Humans are the second) that inhabit the interior. This gives something for Bigfoot supporters to play wish. This is based in the Jomon worship of the Bear, which survives today in the Ainu culture.
The Neo-Jomon will be far ahead of their neighbors in the Pacific Northwest until European contact. But then what? Who would be the first Europeans into this area, the Spanish? Without Gold and Silver, would the Spanish attempt to conquer these Neo-Jomon? When did the Russians begin to settle North America? In the future, I hope to return to the Neo-Jomon and answer some of these thoughts.
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