Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm,is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its exact place of origin is uncertain because of long cultivation, it probably originated from the Fertile Crescent region straddling between Egypt and Mesopotamia. The species is widely cultivated across Northern Africa, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South Asia, and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Trees in Sumeria
Lower Mesopotamia is generally lacking trees, only date palms and tamarisk grow in volume. Similar to in Egypt, the need for timber for construction was one of the drivers of trade and innovation in Sumeria. The size of houses is often based on the maximum length of timber they could get hold of; the maximum length of timber gives the smallest dimension of rooms. Many Sumerian rooms were therefore long and narrow, with short timber supports. The length of standard timber equals the maximum width of the rooms. Rooms were typically long and narrow for this reason.
Date Palm
Very important for food and wood. Abundant in southern Mesopotamia
Tamarisk
It is a small tree that grows in arid, salty ground. It has deep roots to reach down to groundwater. The tamarisk is mentioned in the Genesis in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, and in the Quran.
Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm,is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its exact place of origin is uncertain because of long cultivation, it probably originated from the Fertile Crescent region straddling between Egypt and Mesopotamia. The species is widely cultivated across Northern Africa, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South Asia, and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Cedar
Imported from Lebanon. Important for building houses and temples. The epic story of Gilgamesh involves Gilgamesh killing the guardian of the cedar forest to cut down its trees.
Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm,is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its exact place of origin is uncertain because of long cultivation, it probably originated from the Fertile Crescent region straddling between Egypt and Mesopotamia. The species is widely cultivated across Northern Africa, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South Asia, and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Juniper
Part of the cypress family of trees, this is a tree spread out throughout most of the world now.
Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm,is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its exact place of origin is uncertain because of long cultivation, it probably originated from the Fertile Crescent region straddling between Egypt and Mesopotamia. The species is widely cultivated across Northern Africa, the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South Asia, and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
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