Surprising Discovery of Bones From Fussy Rodents Show Ancient Byzantines Farmed Israel's Negev
Israeli archaeologists’ finding of jird remains indicates that early Christians managed to master water harvesting and grow food in arid conditions 1,500 years ago
By Ruth Schuster Jan 11, 2018
The discovery of bones from picky rodents where none were expected has led Israeli archaeologists to conclude that the early Byzantines extensively farmed the Negev desert over 1,500 years ago.
Given that the rocky desert would not have much more hospitable than it is now, and based on the piles of rodent bones, the archaeologists believe the ancient Byzantines had become masters of water harvesting.
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https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/1.834254
