The Formation of Terraced Landscapes in the Judean Highlands in Israel, and its Implications for Biblical Agricultural History

The construction of terraces for dry farming constitutes a major technological innovation in the history of agriculture, allowing for the exploitation of previously uncultivated slopes and expanding the carrying capacity of the land. The terracing of the highlands of Judea and Samaria is traditionally associated with the settlement of the »Israelites«. In this article we present the results of a terrace dating project in the highlands of Jerusalem and show that they become a dominant agricultural feature only in classical times. We also discuss the implication of the results for understanding the realia behind some of the biblical text.