DOI article:
Varisco, Daniel Martin: The ard in Highland Yemeni agriculture
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49001#0167
THE ARD IN YEMEN
159
are cultivated, but the yield is far lower than
it would be on irrigated land. The most
successful crops are legumes, including len-
tils (fnlsin), peas, (‘atar), fenugreek (hulba),
and a variety of beans. The farmer on ghayl
land is assured a steady and known supply of
water throughout the year, while the farmer
on ‘aqar land is dependent on a good rainy
season. Thus, dry farming in the region is a
precarious endeavour.
Fig. 1. Map of the Yemen Arab Republic showing
location of the valley of al-Ahjur (after Statistical
Yearbook 1976/77-San‘a’: Central Planning Org.).
Karte der Arabischen Republik Jemen, die die
Lage des Tais von al-Ahjur zeigt. (Nach Statistical
Yearbook 1976-77 Sana: ...
Both the irrigated and rainfed agricultural
land in the valley is terraced. The northern
arc of al-Ahjur resembles a giant Roman
amphitheatre from the air; terraces are in-
dented in the slopes like lush green steps
(fig. 3). On the steeper slopes the terraces are
so narrow that it is virtually impossible to
manoeuvre a draught animal and plough
(fig. 2). Many of the steeper terraces of ghayl
land are planted with tree crops, which re-
quire no ploughing. On gentle slopes of 15°
or less incline the terraces may be up to ten
metres in width. A major constraint in culti-
vation is the difficulty of access through the
terraces. On the sides of the mountains sur-
rounding the valley there are some terraces
which seem impossible to reach. The large
number of abandoned and unworked ‘aqar
terraces indicates that in the past there was a
greater need to cultivate marginal and distant
fields.
Agricultural Technology. The tools used by
the highland Yemeni farmer do not appear to
have changed for centuries. Current tech-
niques of cultivation, for example, differ
little from those described in a Yemeni
agricultural treatise from the fourteenth cen-
tury (Serjeant, 39) or from comments in a
tenth century work by the Yemeni savant al-
Hamdanl. Two tools are essential for irriga-
tion and hand tillage in al-Ahjur: the majrafi
and the mafras. The majrafi4 is a short-
hafted, hoe-shaped shovel of a type that is
widely distributed in the Arab world. This
tool is used in irrigation for making channels
and mud dams (fig. 5). The majrafi is also
employed in clearing animal dung from
stable floors. For breaking up hard soil and
clods turned up by the ard a mafras5 or pick
is used (fig. 4). Hand tillage is practised in
fields with tree crops and on terraces too
narrow for effective use of the ard. Use of
these tools is generally, but not always, a
male activity.
The Yemeni “plough” can be classified as
an ard with a sole. The date of the introduc-
159
are cultivated, but the yield is far lower than
it would be on irrigated land. The most
successful crops are legumes, including len-
tils (fnlsin), peas, (‘atar), fenugreek (hulba),
and a variety of beans. The farmer on ghayl
land is assured a steady and known supply of
water throughout the year, while the farmer
on ‘aqar land is dependent on a good rainy
season. Thus, dry farming in the region is a
precarious endeavour.
Fig. 1. Map of the Yemen Arab Republic showing
location of the valley of al-Ahjur (after Statistical
Yearbook 1976/77-San‘a’: Central Planning Org.).
Karte der Arabischen Republik Jemen, die die
Lage des Tais von al-Ahjur zeigt. (Nach Statistical
Yearbook 1976-77 Sana: ...
Both the irrigated and rainfed agricultural
land in the valley is terraced. The northern
arc of al-Ahjur resembles a giant Roman
amphitheatre from the air; terraces are in-
dented in the slopes like lush green steps
(fig. 3). On the steeper slopes the terraces are
so narrow that it is virtually impossible to
manoeuvre a draught animal and plough
(fig. 2). Many of the steeper terraces of ghayl
land are planted with tree crops, which re-
quire no ploughing. On gentle slopes of 15°
or less incline the terraces may be up to ten
metres in width. A major constraint in culti-
vation is the difficulty of access through the
terraces. On the sides of the mountains sur-
rounding the valley there are some terraces
which seem impossible to reach. The large
number of abandoned and unworked ‘aqar
terraces indicates that in the past there was a
greater need to cultivate marginal and distant
fields.
Agricultural Technology. The tools used by
the highland Yemeni farmer do not appear to
have changed for centuries. Current tech-
niques of cultivation, for example, differ
little from those described in a Yemeni
agricultural treatise from the fourteenth cen-
tury (Serjeant, 39) or from comments in a
tenth century work by the Yemeni savant al-
Hamdanl. Two tools are essential for irriga-
tion and hand tillage in al-Ahjur: the majrafi
and the mafras. The majrafi4 is a short-
hafted, hoe-shaped shovel of a type that is
widely distributed in the Arab world. This
tool is used in irrigation for making channels
and mud dams (fig. 5). The majrafi is also
employed in clearing animal dung from
stable floors. For breaking up hard soil and
clods turned up by the ard a mafras5 or pick
is used (fig. 4). Hand tillage is practised in
fields with tree crops and on terraces too
narrow for effective use of the ard. Use of
these tools is generally, but not always, a
male activity.
The Yemeni “plough” can be classified as
an ard with a sole. The date of the introduc-