Run-off irrigation and terraces agriculture at Udhruh, Understanding its role in Petra’s hinterland from the Nabataean to the Byzantine period in southern Jordan.

This thesis aims to explore how run-off irrigation and terraces agriculture can be used to have a better understanding of the socio-economic dynamics and farming economy of the Petra region between the Nabataean and the Byzantine Periods (100 BC – 400 AD approx.). Run-off irrigation and agricultural terraces are common around Petra and its hinterland. Despite such farming structures in Udhruh, a site located east of Petra, having been studied in detail in recent years, their roles in the hinterland’s farming economy are not completely clear yet. While the lack of material culture remains and stratified sequences in these agricultural systems represent a challenge for archaeologists, farming installations can be contrasted with the available archaeological and historical data. Using this approach, the vast agricultural landscape of Udhruh emerges. Five areas around the city of Petra and its hinterland which have evidence of run-off and agricultural terraces were selected for...Show moreThis thesis aims to explore how run-off irrigation and terraces agriculture can be used to have a better understanding of the socio-economic dynamics and farming economy of the Petra region between the Nabataean and the Byzantine Periods (100 BC – 400 AD approx.). Run-off irrigation and agricultural terraces are common around Petra and its hinterland. Despite such farming structures in Udhruh, a site located east of Petra, having been studied in detail in recent years, their roles in the hinterland’s farming economy are not completely clear yet. While the lack of material culture remains and stratified sequences in these agricultural systems represent a challenge for archaeologists, farming installations can be contrasted with the available archaeological and historical data. Using this approach, the vast agricultural landscape of Udhruh emerges. Five areas around the city of Petra and its hinterland which have evidence of run-off and agricultural terraces were selected for comparison: Beida and Wadi Musa, in the vicinity of the city, were all related to wine and olive production; and Humayma, Bir Madhkur and Wadi Faynan, sites in the hinterland, were cereal-based farming economies under military or imperial control. This information was contrasted with available data from Udhruh in order to understand the nature of its farming economy, which is found to fit with the hinterland pattern. A yield productivity estimation was then performed on one of the ancient terrace systems located northwest of Udhruh, followed by a population estimation to provide a quantitative image of how much such systems contributed to the ancient farming economy. This estimation, along with the wheat caloric component, was compared with the caloric need of a Roman soldier. The results demonstrated that the farming economy at Udhruh was reorganized after the Roman annexation in 106 AD, probably to support the presence of a Roman army at Udhruh. When the site experienced another transformation with the arrival of the Legio VI Ferrata during the Byzantine Period, agricultural and water management innovations were developed to handle the necessary increase in food production capacity. Therefore, this research demonstrates that the study of ancient run-off irrigation systems and agricultural terraces can be used in combination with archaeological and historical data to have a better understanding of ancient socio-economic dynamics.Show less

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Run-off irrigation and terraces agriculture at Udhruh, Understanding its role in Petra’s hinterland from the Nabataean to the Byzantine period in southern Jordan.