Joint research by Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University reveals: Residents of Tel Tzaf grew olive and fig trees about 7,000 years ago – a sign of a rich and complex society
A joint study by researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has uncovered the earliest evidence of the domestication of a fruit tree. The researchers analyzed charcoal remains from the Chalcolithic site of Tel Tzaf in the Jordan Valley and determined that they came from olive trees. Since olives do not grow naturally in the Jordan Valley, this means that the inhabitants deliberately planted the tree about 7,000 years ago. Along with these remains, some of the earliest seals were also found at the site, which, according to the researchers, indicates wealth and early steps toward the formation of a complex and productive society.
The groundbreaking research was led by Dr. Dafna Langut. From the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures of Yaakov M. Alkov, Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute for Archaeology andSteinhardt Museum of Nature at Tel Aviv University. The charcoal remains were found in the archaeological excavation led by Prof. Yosef Garfinkel of the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports, published by Nature.
The 'plastic' of the ancient world
According to Dr. Langut, head of the Archaeobotany and Ancient Environments Laboratory, which specializes in microscopic identification of plant remains, "Trees can be identified, even when they have been burned to charcoal, by their anatomical structure. Wood was the 'plastic' of the ancient world. It was used for construction, for making tools and furniture, and as a source of energy. Therefore, identifying tree remains found in archaeological sites, such as charcoal from a hearth, is key to understanding what types of trees grew in the natural environment at that time, and when humans began cultivating fruit trees."
In her lab, Dr. Langgot identified the charcoal from Tel Tzaf as belonging to olive and fig trees. “Olive trees grow naturally in the Land of Israel, but they don’t grow in the Jordan Valley,” she says. “That means someone brought them there intentionally – took the knowledge and the plant itself to a place outside its natural habitat. In archaeobotanics, this is considered indisputable evidence of domestication, which means we have here the earliest evidence of olive domestication anywhere in the world.”
She said she also identified many remains of young fig branches. "Although figs grew naturally in the Jordan Valley, their branches had little value as firewood or raw materials for tools or furniture, so people had no reason to collect large quantities and bring them to the village. These fig branches likely resulted from pruning, a method still used today to increase the yield of fruit trees."
A status symbol of luxury and prestige
Dr. Langut and Prof. Garfinkel were not surprised to discover that the residents of Tel Tzaf were the first in the world to deliberately grow olive and fig groves, as growing fruit trees is a testament to luxury, and this site is known to have been particularly wealthy. Prof. Garfinkel from the Hebrew University, who headed the excavation at Tel Tzaf: "Tel Tzaf was a large prehistoric village in the Middle Jordan Valley south of Beit She'an, inhabited between 6,700 and 7,200 years ago. Large houses with inner courtyards were discovered at the site, each with several barns for storing crops. The storage volumes were up to 20 times larger than all of these calorie consumption, so it was clearly family accommodation. The village's wealth was expressed in the production of sophisticated pottery, painted with extraordinary skill. In addition, we found items there that were brought from afar: pottery of the Ubaid culture from Mesopotamia, obsidian from Anatolia, copper shards from the Caucasus, and more."
According to Dr. Langut: "Domesticating fruit trees is a process that takes many years, and therefore befits a society of abundance, not one that struggles to survive. Trees bear fruit only 4-3 years after planting. Because fruit tree plantations require a significant initial investment, and then last for a long time, they have great economic and social significance. Moreover, it is very possible that the residents of Tel Tzaf traded in products derived from fruit trees, such as olives, olive oil, and dried figs, such products enabling intercity trade that led to the accumulation of material wealth, and perhaps even taxation – initial steps in the socio-economic development of the society."
"At the Tel Tzaf archaeological site, we found the world's first evidence of the domestication of fruit trees, alongside some of the earliest seals, indicating the beginning of administrative procedures. Overall, the findings indicate wealth, and early steps towards the formation of a complex, multi-layered society, with the addition of the agricultural and clerical classes," concludes Dr. Langut.
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