The past decade has significantly advanced our understanding of the origins, spread, and impact of early agriculture in the Mediterranean Basin. New methods for documenting domestication in plants and animals have pushed back the initial steps of domestication in the Eastern Mediterranean to the 12th millennium cal B.P. Evidence for herd management and crop cultivation appears 1,000 years earlier than traditional morphological changes. Different species were domesticated in different parts of the Fertile Crescent, with genetic analyses showing multiple domestic lineages. Recent evidence suggests that the expansion of domesticates and agricultural economies across the Mediterranean was achieved through multiple waves of seafaring colonists who established coastal farming enclaves. This process involved the adoption of domesticates by indigenous populations and the local domestication of some endemic species. Human environmental impacts are seen in the replacement of endemic island faunas by imported mainland fauna and in today's anthropogenic but threatened Mediterranean landscapes where sustainable agricultural practices have helped maintain biodiversity since the Neolithic. The transition from foraging to farming is a significant threshold in human history. Domesticates and agricultural economies are associated with radical societal restructuring, biodiversity changes, and environmental alterations. The origin and spread of domesticates and agriculture remain topics of interest. Recent analytical advances in documenting domestication, particularly in tracking the domestication of four major Near Eastern livestock species, have produced new information challenging previous hypotheses. These advances include new morphometric methods, genetic analyses, and radiocarbon dating. These findings suggest that domestication occurred in different parts of the Fertile Crescent, with genetic diversity indicating multiple domestication events. The initial domestication of goats and sheep occurred around 11,000–10,500 B.P., with domestication of cattle and pigs later. Genetic data support the idea that domestication in the Near East involved multiple lineages and independent domestication events. The diffusion of domesticates across the Mediterranean involved maritime colonists who established coastal farming enclaves. This process involved the adoption of domesticates by indigenous populations and the local domestication of some species. The Neolithic transition in the Mediterranean involved a complex interplay of cultural and demic diffusion, with evidence of early domestication in the region. Recent research has shown that the Neolithic spread was not a single wave but involved multiple migrations and local adaptations. The impact of Neolithic economies on the Mediterranean environment is evident in the replacement of endemic island faunas by imported species and the transformation of landscapes. The future of research in this area includes further exploration of domestication processes, the role of humans in shaping biodiversity, and the integration of new analytical techniques to better understand the Neolithic transition.The past decade has significantly advanced our understanding of the origins, spread, and impact of early agriculture in the Mediterranean Basin. New methods for documenting domestication in plants and animals have pushed back the initial steps of domestication in the Eastern Mediterranean to the 12th millennium cal B.P. Evidence for herd management and crop cultivation appears 1,000 years earlier than traditional morphological changes. Different species were domesticated in different parts of the Fertile Crescent, with genetic analyses showing multiple domestic lineages. Recent evidence suggests that the expansion of domesticates and agricultural economies across the Mediterranean was achieved through multiple waves of seafaring colonists who established coastal farming enclaves. This process involved the adoption of domesticates by indigenous populations and the local domestication of some endemic species. Human environmental impacts are seen in the replacement of endemic island faunas by imported mainland fauna and in today's anthropogenic but threatened Mediterranean landscapes where sustainable agricultural practices have helped maintain biodiversity since the Neolithic. The transition from foraging to farming is a significant threshold in human history. Domesticates and agricultural economies are associated with radical societal restructuring, biodiversity changes, and environmental alterations. The origin and spread of domesticates and agriculture remain topics of interest. Recent analytical advances in documenting domestication, particularly in tracking the domestication of four major Near Eastern livestock species, have produced new information challenging previous hypotheses. These advances include new morphometric methods, genetic analyses, and radiocarbon dating. These findings suggest that domestication occurred in different parts of the Fertile Crescent, with genetic diversity indicating multiple domestication events. The initial domestication of goats and sheep occurred around 11,000–10,500 B.P., with domestication of cattle and pigs later. Genetic data support the idea that domestication in the Near East involved multiple lineages and independent domestication events. The diffusion of domesticates across the Mediterranean involved maritime colonists who established coastal farming enclaves. This process involved the adoption of domesticates by indigenous populations and the local domestication of some species. The Neolithic transition in the Mediterranean involved a complex interplay of cultural and demic diffusion, with evidence of early domestication in the region. Recent research has shown that the Neolithic spread was not a single wave but involved multiple migrations and local adaptations. The impact of Neolithic economies on the Mediterranean environment is evident in the replacement of endemic island faunas by imported species and the transformation of landscapes. The future of research in this area includes further exploration of domestication processes, the role of humans in shaping biodiversity, and the integration of new analytical techniques to better understand the Neolithic transition.