Studia Palmyreńskie (8.1985)

rain water collected from a vast area. They have, in fact, succeeded to change them
into centres of agriculture.

It seems clear, that the deciding factor in forming the pattern of Nabataean
settlement in the Negev were the trade routes, the dependence of the settlement on
climatic factors being considerably smaller.

WADI ARABA

Wadi Araba is a part of the Great Rift, forming a larger entity with the Jordan
valley and the Gulf of Aqaba. It is about 100 km long, and 8-20 km wide. It drains
mainly into the Dead Sea. For the most part, the valley is covered by alluvial de-
posits, mixed with gravel and stones. It has a very dry desert climate. The state of
preservation of ancient sites in the valley is similar to those of Negev. Surveys have
been carried out there in the thirties by F. Frank and A. Alt who visited and described
a considerable amount of archaeological sites, unfortunately not knowing how
to date them by means of pottery finds. After them, N. Glueck has investigated some
of the sites there17.

We know 35 dated sites from the valley of Wadi Araba. 16 of them were settled
by the Nabataeans. Here, too, Nabataean settlement appears after a long period
(11 sites from the El II period) when the valley seems to have been practically devoid
of settled population. 7 of the Nabataean sites lie where El II period settlements
once have been, and 9 were founded on virgin soil. Under such unfavourable condi-
tions as those which prevail in the valley, one can hardly speak of the dependence
of sites on climatic factors. On the other hand Nabataean sites seem to be closely
connected with roads, 13 of them lying directly on important tracks. It must be
remembered that important tracks went along as well as across the valley.

6 Nabataean sites (out of 11 with data available) are forts which probably played
the role of caravanserais. They lie on the main routes on both sides of the valley.

There was an important Nabataean centre in the Gulf-of Aqaba-Aila, the princi-
pal Nabataean port.

Water played an important role in choosing the site for a settlement in Nabataean
times. 10 Nabataean sites in the Wadi Araba (all with data available) lie in vicinity
of springs. That the inhabitants of Nabataean settlements successfully cultivated
the soil is attested by finds of terraced fields and canals (6 Nabataean sites). As we
have observed, on all areas described, Nabataean settlements are founded after a long
period beginning with the end of El II period, when settlement was practically non-
-existent. For areas like Moab or Edom it is the period of greatest development in
settlement in antiquity (over 80 % of the ancient sites being Nabataean). In the Negev
and the Wadi Araba, too, the number of Nabataean sites is ronsiderable. In all the

17 For Wadi Araba cf.: A. Alt, Aus der Araba, ZDPV 58, 1935, pp. 1 - 78; F. Frank,
Ans der Araba, ZDPV 57, 1934, pp. 191 - 280; N. Glueck, AASOR XV, 1935, pp. 1 - 142.

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