Columbarium Towers and Other Structures In the Environs of Shivta

Hirschfeld, Yizhar; Tepper, Yotam

doi:10.1179/tav.2006.2006.1.83

Cited by 21 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Intensive and large-scale manure production is proposed for the Byzantine agricultural complex in the Negev through detailed analysis of structural properties of the Sa'adon dovecotes and their rich biological contents. This evidence is combined within a broader reconstruction identifying the overall presence of three dovecotes near Sa'adon and four near the site of Shivta (Hirschfeld and Tepper 2006). These findings strongly suggest the dependence of local Negev agriculture on fertilization with pigeon manure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…A combination of evidence from pottery, coins and direct carbon dating suggests that the time of use was generally between the 5th and 6th centuries CE. The late establishment of Sa'adon's dovecotes, in comparison to those at Shivta (Hirschfeld and Tepper 2006), may be a result of the different history at those sites. Modes of construction, human use and abandonment differed between the two structures at Sa'adon, thereby providing detailed insights regarding links between the dovecotes, pigeon-raising and farming practices in the Byzantine Negev.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Pigeon-raising and sustainable agriculture at the fringe of the desert: a view from the Byzantine village of Sa‘adon, Negev, Israel

Tepper

Weissbrod

Fried

et al. 2018

Levant

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Deposits rich in bioarchaeological materials were unearthed in two dovecotes found near Sa'adon, a Byzantine-period village (5th-6th century CE) in the semi-arid part of the Negev. One structure contained a layer of pigeon manure and articulated pigeon skeletons, preserved occupation levels and evidence of sudden destruction (mid-6th century CE), whereas the other lacked distinct occupation debris indicting more orderly human abandonment. Our findings demonstrate the importance of raising pigeons for their high-quality manure in connection with agricultural development around the Negev Byzantine settlements. This product was essential for fertilizing vineyards and orchards; our findings provide direct evidence for the intensive nature of desert agriculture and a new approach to addressing questions of past human sustainability in an environmentally marginal area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pigeon-raising and sustainable agriculture at the fringe of the desert: a view from the Byzantine village of Sa‘adon, Negev, Israel

Tepper

Weissbrod

Fried

et al. 2018

Levant

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…The intensity of agricultural remains in the Shivta (Sobota) area, including the presence of columbaria that produced high-quality fertilizer (see Hirschfeld and Tepper, 2006) suggests that it may have been among the first settlements in the region to harvest run-off and harness the flash floods in large tributaries such as Nahal Lavan (Fig. 6) in order to facilitate cultivation.…”

Section: Agricultural Expansion In the Byzantine Periodmentioning

confidence: 97%

Nabataean agriculture: Myth and reality

Erickson-Gini

2012

Journal of Arid Environments

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“…The majority of the specimens were waterlogged grape pips, excavated from wells, latrines, and in one case, a shipwreck. In addition to the waterlogged samples, three desiccated pips from a Byzantine dovecote near Shivta, Israel were tested (Hirschfeld and Tepper, 2006); we note that pigeons likely digested these seeds in antiquity. Three desiccated grapevine branches were tested from Areni-1, a dry cave in Armenia with the oldest known winemaking installation, dating to ca.…”

Section: Archaeological Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%