Ancient through mid-twentieth century runoff harvesting agriculture in the hyper-arid Arava Valley of Israel

Stavi, Ilan; Ragolsky, Gidon; Shem-Tov, Rahamim; Shlomi, Yanai; Ackermann, Oren; Rueff, Henri; Lekach, Judith

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2017.11.027

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…As elsewhere, agricultural utilization of Byzantine runoff harvesting infrastructures during later ages is very probable [22,23]. For example, evidence for modern agricultural land use was provided for terraced lands in some wadis across the central Arava Valley by the location of tillage-induced shallow soil furrows, which indicate recent (decades old) tillage by Bedouins [24]. This was further indicated by the on-site location of several characterizing metal duck-foot plow tips and related wooden frames [25,26].…”

Section: Indicators Of Ancient To Recent-past Runoff Agriculturementioning

confidence: 88%

Ancient to Recent-Past Runoff Harvesting Agriculture in Recharge Playas of the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel

Stavi

Shem-Tov

Ragolsky

et al. 2017

Water

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Recharge playas are prevalent throughout the hyper-arid southern Negev and Arava Valley of Israel. While some of these playas are terminal, others were found to be not absolutely terminal, allowing, under extreme floods, the outlet of water from their beds to a draining, ephemeral channel. Indicators for ancient to recent-past agricultural practicing were recorded for two playas. In one of them, this included the archaeological remains of seven Byzantine-Age stone terraces across the playa bed, indicating ancient runoff harvesting agriculture. In another playa, the agricultural indicator included observations by key informants who reported the cropping of barley and wheat by Bedouin populations until the mid-1990s. This was supported by rare bibliographic sources, reporting the cropping of cereals at this site by Bedouins during the 1930s and 1940s. Agro-hydrological assessments of seven playas and their catchments were conducted, revealing a marginal agronomic potential under the current climatic conditions and only for a small number of them. The results highlight the profound environmental know-how of local populations that inhabited this harsh region. Furthermore, the results coincide with previous studies, which have reported drier climatic conditions at present compared to those in ancient times, and even compared to those during the mid-1990s.

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Section: Indicators Of Ancient To Recent-past Runoff Agriculturementioning

confidence: 88%

Ancient to Recent-Past Runoff Harvesting Agriculture in Recharge Playas of the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel

Stavi

Shem-Tov

Ragolsky

et al. 2017

Water

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“…Recent studies from the hyper-arid southern Negev and Arava Valley revealed that ancient runoff harvesting systems across the region cannot effectively function under the current, extremely dry, climatic conditions (Stavi et al, 2017a, 2017b, 2018a). Overall, our findings of ancient agricultural terraces accord with evidence for episodes of comparatively moister regional climatic conditions, including the Late Byzantine period (Hirschfeld, 2004, 2006), the Crusader period (1095–1291 CE: Ellenblum, 2012), and late Ottoman period (Issar, 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Archaeological studies of runoff harvesting agricultural systems in the currently hyper-arid southern Israel proposed that throughout ancient times, considerable flood events occurred once in 2–3 years on average (Avner, 1990, 1998, 2002). However, recent studies revealed that since the early 21st century, such events occur zero to two times every ~10 years on average (Stavi et al, 2017a, 2017b, 2018a). One way or another, the time-lag and incomplete bleaching are expected to introduce some scatter into the OSL results, as grains deposited over an extended period are simultaneously washed into the wadis and deposited behind the terrace walls.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent, pioneer study revealed evidence of ancient runoff harvesting agriculture in the central Arava Valley (central datum point 30°41′ N, 35°14′ E, ~100–200 m.a.s.l.) of southern Israel (Stavi et al, 2018a). The extremely harsh climatic conditions of this hot, hyper-arid region (BWh, according to the Köppen climate classification) make it hostile for human habitation (Goldreich and Karni, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, ethnographic testimonies indicate that runoff harvesting agriculture was practiced by local Bedouin populations until the 1960s in extensive lands across the region. Agro-hydrological assessments of the terraced wadis suggested that runoff harvesting agriculture is not viable under current climatic conditions (Stavi et al, 2018a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ancient to recent-past runoff harvesting agriculture in the hyper-arid Arava Valley: OSL dating and insights

et al. 2021

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Runoff harvesting agriculture was prevalent in ancient times across the southern Levant. In modern Israel, remnants of this agricultural adaptation strategy are widespread mostly in the semi-arid and arid Negev. Extensive literature has thoroughly described the farming systems of this region. However, runoff agriculture in the dryer, hyper-arid regions of the Arava Valley and southern Negev (excluding the Uvda Valley), has scarcely been researched. A recent study revealed remnants of simple stone terraces in several wadis (ephemeral stream channels) throughout the central Arava Valley that have not yet been dated. The objective of this study was to use the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) method to date sediments trapped in the stone terraces. The results revealed dominance of terraces dated to the Ottoman period (1516–1917 CE). Few samples were dated to the earlier Late Islamic period (1099–1516 CE) or Byzantine period (324–638 CE), and to the later, modern period of the mid-20th century. Generally, these periods coincide with relatively moister regional climatic conditions, which prevailed in the 4th, 11th–12th, and late 19th centuries CE. Yet, our findings also concur with periods of effective governance by central administrations. Therefore, results of this study fit the concept that runoff agriculture practiced in peripheral areas in ancient to recent-past times was co-determined by climatic settings and geo-political conditions, which enabled human inhabitation in these regions.

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“He who revives dead land”: groundwater harvesting agroecosystems in sand along the southeastern Mediterranean coast since early medieval times

Roskin

Taxel

2021

Med. Geosc. Rev.

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Ancient through mid-twentieth century runoff harvesting agriculture in the hyper-arid Arava Valley of Israel

Cited by 10 publications

References 22 publications

Ancient to Recent-Past Runoff Harvesting Agriculture in Recharge Playas of the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel

Ancient to Recent-Past Runoff Harvesting Agriculture in Recharge Playas of the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel

Ancient to recent-past runoff harvesting agriculture in the hyper-arid Arava Valley: OSL dating and insights

“He who revives dead land”: groundwater harvesting agroecosystems in sand along the southeastern Mediterranean coast since early medieval times

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