THE FIRST EXTENSIVE RAIN- AND GROUNDWATER-BASED AGRICULTURE IN AEOLIAN SAND? EARLY ISLAMIC PLOT-AND-BERM AGROECOSYSTEM BY ANCIENT CAESAREA, ISRAEL

The “Plot-and-Berm” (P&B) agroecosystem at the southern outskirts of ancient Caesarea, Israel appears to be one of the earliest administrative efforts to cultivate inert dune sand. P&B agroecosystems are agricultural utilizations of a shallow water table within loose, aeolian sand. These agroecosystems are comprised of a checkerboard array of ~hectare-size agricultural plots sunken between ~5 m high berms. P&B agroecosystems were developed in agricultural hinterlands with arid to Mediterranean climates. Beyond the southeastern Mediterranean coast, P&B agroecosystems appear in Iran, Algeria and Iberia. Historically dating to the Middle Ages to early Modern times, some are partly active. Based on a survey of modern-day analogues – Massieras in northwest Portugal, it seems that the plots enable 3 agri-rounds per-annum yielding a wide range of vegetables.

We summarize 3 geaoarcheological excavations of the Caesarea P&B agroecosystem. The wind-protected plots provided enhanced microclimatic conditions for agriculture. Fine-grained refuse derived from nearby Caesarea dumps enrichen the plot sand forming 30-50 cm thick, grey anthrosols. Anthrosol level enables year-round access to the groundwater, uniformly 1 m deep, for manual irrigation by open pit-like wells in the rain-devoid Mediterranean summer.

OSL ages of the anthrosol suggest a ~250-yr span of agriculture practice during Early Islamic times (9th-early 12th centuries a.d.). An anthrosediment made of sand with refuse and <hand-size artifacts dating to Early Islamic times coat and protect the berm from aeolian and slopewash erosion. The berm interior includes sand mixed with small amounts of refuse. Portable OSL and OSL ages indicates an initial Roman effort. A limekiln and small structures on the berms possess similar OSL chronologies of the berm interiors and anthrosols and were used for enhancing anthrosol water retention, guarding, and agricultural activities.

Around 1 million days were probably invested in the agroecosystem construction. Medieval Arabic agricultural manuals and other literary sources lack documentation of this agrotechnology. A regional governance probably supported the development of these agroecosystems, possibly in response to religio-administrative calls for mawāt land reclamation. This effort was probably for growth of a regionally rewarding crop.