From Fog Arises a Nation: Civilization on the Namib Fringe

Also anyone have any thoughts/opinions about this crop?

It seem realistic that a sedentary population would begin to cultivate Acanthosicyos and a domesticated version would rise. I think spread of the plant are pretty much limited to South Africa, where I could see it spread with the Namib culture, at least until the Europeans arrives and spread it (it could be interesting to see it spreading to Australia).

Of course a lot depend on its robustness, calories per acre, whether it can survive in areas without sea fog and how it compare to other crops. Lots of crops have failed to spread or even fallen out of use, because another crop was better.
 
It seem realistic that a sedentary population would begin to cultivate Acanthosicyos and a domesticated version would rise. I think spread of the plant are pretty much limited to South Africa, where I could see it spread with the Namib culture, at least until the Europeans arrives and spread it (it could be interesting to see it spreading to Australia).

Of course a lot depend on its robustness, calories per acre, whether it can survive in areas without sea fog and how it compare to other crops. Lots of crops have failed to spread or even fallen out of use, because another crop was better.

Actually the populations OTL were already semi-sedentary and "paracultivation" was proposed to already be a process in action given the two disparate locations Nara horriendus is found in.

This TL starts out with strandloopers turned sealers that also get a taste for whale, dolphin and shark.

They have their own timeline for water craft and expansion of hunting grounds. As time goes on trade amongst themselves, amongst herders and other populations around the coasts intensifies.

Nara develops as a reserve in lean times (given shellfish and scale fish are avoided, more on that later).

The only conditions that's necessary for OTL Nara is cool nights, cool or hot days, accessible subterranean water, good drainage and limited hot humidity.

However ATL Nara is in fact a complex series of crossed and backcrossed mutants of OTL Nara and Gembok Cucumber found further inland, it's the sole crop and has been cultivated so long there is a lot of variation and flexibility such as annual and perennial growth, early and late flowering, frost tolerances, weediness, etc...

Anywhere Canary Islands Date Palm can thrive (not just survive and not hybrids) this ATL nara will grow.
 
Yes, sure.

What's the actual calorie value and what's its per-hectare productivity? Most modern squashes are well under 500 cal/kg; yields are better than for early grains and there is less processing, I guess, but that's still a significant area under squash per every person's needs. Unless I'm very off on my (granted really off-the-cuff) calculations, this would need significant supplementation from animal-derived food sources. How much of that is there (that the local people historically gathered/hunted)?

This could maybe give an estimate of potential population density.
The people are sealers, that are going to be moving towards whaling.

It's adoption will be in regions with low grain yields in marginal environments.

Agro-pastoral and Agro-Fishing food systems in arid regions predominately adopt Nara.

Calorie count I've seen tops at about 80ish per 140g. Most preparations are dried and the focus on farinaceous quality in dried flesh increased the overall starch content in ATL Nara.

But let's take a second and look into this more. Looking at butternut squash raw it's 80 calories per cup/140g but freeze dried it's 30 calories per 9g. I did my math (which sucks) and looking at a lb of freeze dried butternut squash I got 1500 calories. Rice is 1696 calories per lb.

The issue is in the reduction of water content. In cultivated and heavily irrigated samples of temperate grown butternut the water content ranges from 87.8 g to 82.5 g per 100g. But in "dry cultivation" arid climates I feel the water content would be much less, like 65-75% would be possible kinda like the potatoes.

That's doable to dry in the Namib.
 
I'm looking for input on what I should post next. Any one interested in something specifically?

I would be interested in what type of society develops, how hierarchical it is, what is its mythology, what popular fables it has, and so on. And how it interacts with other nearby peoples.
 
I'd like a materialist run-down of cultural/societal development. i.e. when do they first start using boats? when do they first start using agriculture? when do they first start using pottery? what about pastoralism? when do they start trading with their neighbours and what do they trade for what.... Any specific material culture that is unique to this region/ time period?
 
K, thanks y'all.

I'm not the greatest at dialogue and characters but I can do maybe a series of papers that builds a better picture of these peoples.

It's really important for me to stay within the realm of reality, I'm spending a lot of time going back and pouring into my notes and papers. The original posts before I brought it back put me in a crunch to make it realistic. I kind of fucked up with it but I have personal goals I want to make with this ATL.
 
What are the personal goals for the ATL? What time period do you see the TL going to? Also, what does these people's art look like?
 
What are the personal goals for the ATL? What time period do you see the TL going to? Also, what does these people's art look like?
Hm , an African ATL that's rooted in real data and possibility and not fanciful thought alone.

15k bce to present

Ochre, OTL the oldest African art is found in Namibia is in cave art.

Scrimshaw aka carving of bone, expanded on the carved ivory markets of the world at Large

Anything and everything related to fur, specifically seal fur.
-ATL present time they are found in the old haute couture houses of Europe with their expertise on fur clothing and ornament carving.

The contemporary modernist and expressionist revival in art world is enjoying a wave of new artists who are expanding the aesthetic of the Namib.

Also, of course diamonds upon diamonds.

I can make broader posts but yeah, the jist.
 
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