Archaeologists can track the evolution of a division of labor. In Mesopotamia, pottery provides the classic case study. The earliest Mesopotamian pots are simple and idiosyncratic, and most were probably made in ordinary farming households. But from about six thousand years ago, we find special workshops with potter’s wheels. Potters produced large quantities of standardized bowls, plates, and jugs and sold them over wide areas. These wares look like the work of full-time professionals who had invested in specialist equipment and long apprenticeships. Specialization encouraged new skills and
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