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14.6: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    150309
    • Jennifer Hasty, David G. Lewis, & Marjorie M. Snipes
    • OpenStax
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    basalt
    an igneous rock frequently used for early grinding tools in the Near East.
    biocultural approach
    a perspective that looks at both the cultural and biological roles that food plays in human lives.
    cannibalism
    the act of eating an individual of one’s own species.
    cuisine
    the cultural traditions of cooking and preparing food.
    cultural heritage
    traditions passed down through generations that serve as primary characteristics of how a group defines and identifies itself to other cultural groups.
    cultural identity
    the ways in which people define and distinguish themselves culturally from other groups.
    feasts
    elaborate meals of symbolically meaningful foods shared among large groups of people.
    food
    a substance eaten for the purpose of nutrition and/or social status.
    food deserts
    areas that lack access to nutritious and affordable foods.
    food oases
    areas that have high access to supermarkets and fresh foods.
    food prescriptions
    foods that one should eat and are considered culturally appropriate.
    food proscriptions
    foods that are prohibited and are not considered proper as food; also called food taboos.
    foodways
    the collection, production, and consumption of food; how culinary traditions shape cultural identity.
    genetically modified plants
    plants whose DNA has been altered through human intervention.
    heirloom seeds
    seeds that are not genetically modified, are open pollinated, and have been in existence for at least 50 years.
    intercropping
    planting different seeds mixed together instead of in separate rows.
    locavore
    a person who eats locally produced foods and knows their origins.
    residue studies
    chemical analyses of small amounts of material left intact on surfaces in order to identify the substance.
    shell midden
    a large collection of discarded shells, either food remains or waste piles from other activities.

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