Station: [16] Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

Petra is a desert city. So if people were to live and farm there, they needed a sophisticated irrigation system. Dams were built in the wadis, the dry riverbeds, to store the water from the winter rains. Stone walls were erected at right angles to the direction of flow. These slowed down the water and prevented flooding. Sediments were deposited behind the stone walls and could be used to grow crops.

Larger irrigation areas were created by laying out terraces on the mountain slopes. The width of the terraces was determined by the gradient. On steep slopes, the terraces were narrow, on flat slopes, they were wider. If a wadi was wide enough, mid-level and high-level terraces could be used for crop-growing there, too – making use of water running down from the slopes above. Barley, wheat and pulses grew there, along with olive, date and fig trees and grape vines.

It’s estimated that two thirds of the area under cultivation produced cereals, while fruit, olives and vegetables were grown on the remainder. The system produced enough food for at least 20,000 people, perhaps even significantly more. Precise figures are difficult to come by for the ancient world. The areas that were unsuitable for agriculture served as pasture land for goats, sheep, donkeys and camels.

From the remains of querns and dome-shaped ovens found in private dwellings, we know that grain was processed and flatbread baked at the level of the individual household. Oil presses and wine presses were also discovered.