Professor Stephen Shennan is one of the world's leading experts on the early farmers of the Fertile Crescent and Europe. In this interview, I pick his brain about why early farmers were so, uh, fertile, and produced so many descendants; how those farmers spread outward from their regions of origin; and how we can understand their Neolithic world. Professor Shennan also one of the world's most accomplished archaeological theorists, and he answers my questions about archaeology in the age of Big Data, statistics, and new ways of understanding the past.Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistorySupport us by supporting our sponsors!New Yorker - For a limited time you can get 12 weeks of The New Yorker for just SIX dollars. Plus, you will receive an exclusive tote bag for FREE. Go to newyorker.com/TIDES!The Great Courses Plus - Go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/TIDES and treat yourself to a FREE Trial of access to the entire library.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.