DOI article:
Artymowski, Jan Daniel: The pattern of nabataean settlement
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26418#0152
areas mentioned except Negev Nabataean settlement seems to continue an earlier
tradition of settlement (a great majority of the El Age sites being resettled then)
though a large proportion of settlements was founded on new sites (usually over
50%). Nabataeans settled on areas diferring considerably from the climatic and bio-
climatic point of view, as well as being differently situated in relation to main roads.
This had to cause considerable economic differences between these areas, which, in
turn determined a different pattern of settlement. It seems, however, that the florishing
of trade routes passing through Nabataean territory was the chief cause of develop-
ment and the main factor determining the pattern of Nabataean settlement. Over
75 % of the Nabataean sites on all territories discussed lie within the distance of 2,5 km
of the main roads. The dependence of Nabataean settlement on roads is most evi-
dent in areas less favourable from the agricultural point of view, like Edom and espec-
ially Negev and Wadi Araba, where the roads seem to be at large the only cause for
the development of settlement. In the Negev 95% of the sites lie close to the main
roads. The centres were that category of Nabataean settlements the development of
which was most closely connected with the development of trade. Practically all of
them lie on important rade routes and many control crossroads. Of course, no settle-
ment as extensive and as dense as than that of the Nabataeans could exist without
an agricultural basis. A certain specialization of the areas settled by the Nabataeans
is to be observed here, though there are certain rules which seem to apply to the
majority of Nabataean sites in general. In every area there are certain limits of settle-
ment drawn by the amount of the minimal annual rainfall, the number of rain days
of rain days etc. However, the Negev and culd at the most be self sufficient from the
point of view of agriculture. On the other hand, Edom, and especially Moab were
rich agricultural lands. Moab, fertile and relatively well watered was famous for its
agriculture and cattle breeding in the El Age. It seems probable that besides producing
food for its own needs it may have supplied the poorer Nabataean territories.
Like whole territories particular Nabataean sites too seem to have been specialized.
The most common category in Moab and Edom seems to be formed by open sites.
Their dependence on climatic and soil conditions implies that they were mainly agri-
cultural settlements. The forts do not form a uniform group of sites. Some of them
formed the defensive belt east and south of the settled areas of Moab and Edom, and
others, lying on roads probably combined the functions of military posts and cara-
vanserais. The centres, which have developed mainly because of the trade, were
also important centres of agriculture.
It must all the time be bore in mind that Nabataean settlement, at least in its
first phases, was the result of the sedentarisation of nomads. The main impulse of this
process was the development of trade routes passing through Nabataean territory.
This must have caused grave economic and social changes in the then basically no-
madic Nabataean society (in the 4th century B.C. their mode of life seems to have
been purely nomadic) which led to the formation of a state and to sedentarisation.
The latter caused the development of agriculture, often on unfavourable areas which
141
tradition of settlement (a great majority of the El Age sites being resettled then)
though a large proportion of settlements was founded on new sites (usually over
50%). Nabataeans settled on areas diferring considerably from the climatic and bio-
climatic point of view, as well as being differently situated in relation to main roads.
This had to cause considerable economic differences between these areas, which, in
turn determined a different pattern of settlement. It seems, however, that the florishing
of trade routes passing through Nabataean territory was the chief cause of develop-
ment and the main factor determining the pattern of Nabataean settlement. Over
75 % of the Nabataean sites on all territories discussed lie within the distance of 2,5 km
of the main roads. The dependence of Nabataean settlement on roads is most evi-
dent in areas less favourable from the agricultural point of view, like Edom and espec-
ially Negev and Wadi Araba, where the roads seem to be at large the only cause for
the development of settlement. In the Negev 95% of the sites lie close to the main
roads. The centres were that category of Nabataean settlements the development of
which was most closely connected with the development of trade. Practically all of
them lie on important rade routes and many control crossroads. Of course, no settle-
ment as extensive and as dense as than that of the Nabataeans could exist without
an agricultural basis. A certain specialization of the areas settled by the Nabataeans
is to be observed here, though there are certain rules which seem to apply to the
majority of Nabataean sites in general. In every area there are certain limits of settle-
ment drawn by the amount of the minimal annual rainfall, the number of rain days
of rain days etc. However, the Negev and culd at the most be self sufficient from the
point of view of agriculture. On the other hand, Edom, and especially Moab were
rich agricultural lands. Moab, fertile and relatively well watered was famous for its
agriculture and cattle breeding in the El Age. It seems probable that besides producing
food for its own needs it may have supplied the poorer Nabataean territories.
Like whole territories particular Nabataean sites too seem to have been specialized.
The most common category in Moab and Edom seems to be formed by open sites.
Their dependence on climatic and soil conditions implies that they were mainly agri-
cultural settlements. The forts do not form a uniform group of sites. Some of them
formed the defensive belt east and south of the settled areas of Moab and Edom, and
others, lying on roads probably combined the functions of military posts and cara-
vanserais. The centres, which have developed mainly because of the trade, were
also important centres of agriculture.
It must all the time be bore in mind that Nabataean settlement, at least in its
first phases, was the result of the sedentarisation of nomads. The main impulse of this
process was the development of trade routes passing through Nabataean territory.
This must have caused grave economic and social changes in the then basically no-
madic Nabataean society (in the 4th century B.C. their mode of life seems to have
been purely nomadic) which led to the formation of a state and to sedentarisation.
The latter caused the development of agriculture, often on unfavourable areas which
141