The discovery of evidence of a system of Jewish agriculture in the central and southern Negev as long as 3, 000 years ago was announced here last night. Some of the finds were located 20 miles south of Beersheba.
Previously, it had been believed that the Nabateans, dating back some 2,500 years. were the oldest people to have farmed what is now a desert region. Prof. Evenari believes that the Nabatean cities discovered in the Negev were actually built on the ruins of older Jewish settlements. His theory contradicts that of another famous Negev explorer, Prof. Nelson Glueck, President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati and archaeologist, who laid open many Biblical secrets in Palestine in the past few decades.
The Hebrew University team discovered traces of ancient terraces, canals and houses which it placed back into the ninth century before the Common Era in history, period going back in time from King Uziahu to the iron age. Chronicles states that King Uziahu built canals and cisterns in the desert. The ancient Jewish farmers apparently depended on flood waters stored in reservoirs and cisterns.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
