Geographers investigate ancient land use near the Jordan Valley
April 5, 2018, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Geographers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have been investigating climate change and land use in the Southern Levant since the last ice age. In conjunction with other researchers from Jordan, Israel and Palestine, they have been examining dust deposits in ancient ruins, reservoirs and terraced fields to the east and west of the Jordan Valley. The sediments should enable them to draw conclusions about the structures of settlements, crops, changes in landscape and fluctuations in the climate.
The Southern Levant, which is the region covering the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and its hinterland, is one of the most historic regions of the world. It is characterised by Biblical sites in Israel and Palestine, the coexistence of different religions, and periods of cultural growth and decline. Despite its enormous historical significance, many aspects of the region have not been well researched, including: What factors facilitated the rise of high culture from the Iron Age to the Byzantine period? Which trade relations and agricultural structures ensured survival at the edge of the desert? What led to the stagnation and exodus at around 1000 AD?
Read more at:
https://phys.org/news/2018-04-geographers-ancient-jordan-valley.html#jCp
