Poster || Participated in ICOMOS GA 2023 – Sydney, Australia (31 August 2023 – 9 September 2023)
Traditional Villages
Cultivation, Harvest Season & Pastoralism in southern Palestine
Al-Karmil Town as a Case Study
Prepared by: Shireen Allan
The southern part of Hebron region indicates a growing interest in cultural heritage richness, the natural landscape as a favorable environment for human living, and touristic activities. The landscape is covered with mounds that mark physical remains of human activities, resembling abandoned and plundered traditional villages.
Their value is tremendous as they provide ethnographic facts, function as a guide for archaeological analogy, and interpret social activities of people in the past through their surviving remains. Therefore, whether inhabited or abandoned, traditional villages have become like unique living museums, presenting a comprehensive view of ancient and present-day lifestyles.
Kh. Al-Karmil: Its location at the end of an arid mountain, at the foot of the desert, makes it the entrance to the Naqab Desert. The traditional buildings represent the peasant way of life of the local community situated between the Roman Pond and the Byzantine Church. The elements of traditional heritage of Al-Karmil town are presented in chronological order, starting with the peasant houses that utilized ancient tombs for living. In later stages, caves were closed off with an outer stone façade, reflecting the architectural style known as “Laqta” in the southern part of Hebron. Then, during the Ottoman era, numerous traditional buildings were constructed. Throughout these periods, Palestinian farmers’ houses were used for cooking and animal husbandry, featuring structures such as Tabun, Saqaef and Tor.
Traditional Palestinian farming, despite being inherently sustainable, confronts a multitude of formidable challenges that jeopardize its continuity. These include the persistent geopolitical strife, the detrimental consequences of climate change leading to disrupted harvest seasons caused by global warming, and the distressing encroachments by armed Israel settlers on vital agricultural lands. Additionally, there is an alarming deficiency of essential knowledge in various crucial domains. A glaring example of this is the local production of seeds, which in the past, farmers adeptly mastered, ensuring a reliable supply for subsequent years. Regrettably, if you were to inquire about this process from the younger generation today, they would be woefully unfamiliar with such practices.
The harvest season in Palestine stands as an immensely significant occasion. It not only sustains the livelihoods of numerous Palestinian communities but also holds profound national and cultural significance, serving as a poignant reminder of the deep-rooted Palestinian heritage within their ancestral homeland.
The cultivation of cereal crops, whether harvested for hay, gathered while still green for food, feed, or silage, or utilized for grazing, encompasses not only an essential agricultural season but also a cherished tradition upheld by ancestors for countless decades.
During the cereals harvesting season, Palestinian families unite in the fields and collectively engage in the process of gathering. This cherished tradition extends beyond mere labour, encompassing the singing of folk songs and the joyous sharing of communal meals. To beat the scorching heat, families depart from their homes at sunrise, working diligently to complete the harvest. As they commence their day, a small fire is kindled to brew tea, symbolizing the beginning of this time-honoured ritual.
Within the realm of Palestine’s widespread cultivation of wheat, barley, and various types of seeds, an integral tool employed during the harvesting process is the hand sickle, known in oral history as the revered “manjal.” This tool finds its resonance among the chants repeatedly sung by farmers as they work diligently in the fields.
References:
Allan, S. Cultural Heritage and Awareness Contribution in Development: Kh. Al-Karmil as a case study. 2020.
Sarie, I The Traditional Village: An Ethnographic Link between the Past and the Future. 2005.
Traditional Farming in Palestine | Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung | Palestine and Jordan (boell.org).
Poster || Participated in ICOMOS GA 2023 – Sydney, Australia (31 August 2023 – 9 September 2023)
Traditional Villages
Cultivation, Harvest Season & Pastoralism in southern Palestine
Al-Karmil Town as a Case Study
Prepared by: Shireen Allan
The southern part of Hebron region indicates a growing interest in cultural heritage richness, the natural landscape as a favorable environment for human living, and touristic activities. The landscape is covered with mounds that mark physical remains of human activities, resembling abandoned and plundered traditional villages.
Their value is tremendous as they provide ethnographic facts, function as a guide for archaeological analogy, and interpret social activities of people in the past through their surviving remains. Therefore, whether inhabited or abandoned, traditional villages have become like unique living museums, presenting a comprehensive view of ancient and present-day lifestyles.
Kh. Al-Karmil: Its location at the end of an arid mountain, at the foot of the desert, makes it the entrance to the Naqab Desert. The traditional buildings represent the peasant way of life of the local community situated between the Roman Pond and the Byzantine Church. The elements of traditional heritage of Al-Karmil town are presented in chronological order, starting with the peasant houses that utilized ancient tombs for living. In later stages, caves were closed off with an outer stone façade, reflecting the architectural style known as “Laqta” in the southern part of Hebron. Then, during the Ottoman era, numerous traditional buildings were constructed. Throughout these periods, Palestinian farmers’ houses were used for cooking and animal husbandry, featuring structures such as Tabun, Saqaef and Tor.
Traditional Palestinian farming, despite being inherently sustainable, confronts a multitude of formidable challenges that jeopardize its continuity. These include the persistent geopolitical strife, the detrimental consequences of climate change leading to disrupted harvest seasons caused by global warming, and the distressing encroachments by armed Israel settlers on vital agricultural lands. Additionally, there is an alarming deficiency of essential knowledge in various crucial domains. A glaring example of this is the local production of seeds, which in the past, farmers adeptly mastered, ensuring a reliable supply for subsequent years. Regrettably, if you were to inquire about this process from the younger generation today, they would be woefully unfamiliar with such practices.
The harvest season in Palestine stands as an immensely significant occasion. It not only sustains the livelihoods of numerous Palestinian communities but also holds profound national and cultural significance, serving as a poignant reminder of the deep-rooted Palestinian heritage within their ancestral homeland.
The cultivation of cereal crops, whether harvested for hay, gathered while still green for food, feed, or silage, or utilized for grazing, encompasses not only an essential agricultural season but also a cherished tradition upheld by ancestors for countless decades.
During the cereals harvesting season, Palestinian families unite in the fields and collectively engage in the process of gathering. This cherished tradition extends beyond mere labour, encompassing the singing of folk songs and the joyous sharing of communal meals. To beat the scorching heat, families depart from their homes at sunrise, working diligently to complete the harvest. As they commence their day, a small fire is kindled to brew tea, symbolizing the beginning of this time-honoured ritual.
Within the realm of Palestine’s widespread cultivation of wheat, barley, and various types of seeds, an integral tool employed during the harvesting process is the hand sickle, known in oral history as the revered “manjal.” This tool finds its resonance among the chants repeatedly sung by farmers as they work diligently in the fields.
References:
Allan, S.
Cultural Heritage and Awareness Contribution in Development: Kh. Al-Karmil as a case study. 2020.
Sarie, I
The Traditional Village: An Ethnographic Link between the Past and the Future. 2005.
Traditional Farming in Palestine | Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung | Palestine and Jordan (boell.org).