Ancient Agriculture in the Negev
Very early agriculture in the Negev has been documented by archaeologists who have found remnants of prehistoric wheat and barley cultivation in the Besor Valley during the Chalcholithic Period (5000–3500 BCE). More recent and more researched ancient farming was carried out by Nabatians, a nomad tribe that took up permanent residence in the region in about 70 CE.
The major catchment areas in the Negev, the Zin, Besor, and Nitzana valleys, were necessary for the development of ancient Nabatian agriculture. The average precipitation in the central Negev is about 100 mm, which falls in a relatively short period of about 20 days. Prof. Michael Evenari and coworkers, who have studied early agricultural development in the Negev, have discovered three runoff harvesting methods utilized by the Nabatians:
1. Damming of narrow, stepped valleys;
2. Constructing groups of stepped fields, which served as farms;
3. Building structures for diverting floodwater.
In addition, water was stored by gathering water in plastered cisterns in city courtyards.
The Nabatean sowed large tracts of barley, as well as perennials and fruit trees. Agriculture reached its peak with the introduction of viniculture and growing olives. Nabatean wine presses were found in Shivta, Halutza, and Avdat. Evenari has reconstructed the Nabatean farm near Avdat, making it possible to visualize firsthand how ancient people exploited runoff and floodwater for raising various crops.
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Ancient farm in Nitzanna |
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