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The archaeology and ethnoarchaeology of rain-fed cultivation in arid and hyper-arid North Africa
- Source :
- Antiquity. August, 2019, Vol. 93 Issue 370, p1026, 14 p.
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Rain-fed cultivation in drylands--especially in arid and hyper-arid areas--is often considered to play a minor role in human subsistence. Drawing upon the results of ethnoarchaeological research in North Africa, this paper reviews non-irrigated agricultural practices in the absence of anthropogenic water-harvesting structures, and presents a proposal for how such practices can be identified in the drylands of the past. An improved understanding of the long-term development of rain fed cultivation augments our knowledge of past land-use strategies and can inform future models of sustainable agriculture in some of the world's driest regions. Keywords: Sahara, Al Khiday, rain-fed cultivation, drylands, resilience, phytoliths<br />Introduction Today, drylands cover approximately 40 per cent of the world's land area and host around 40 per cent of the world's population. The United Nations Environment Programme defines drylands [...]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0003598X
- Volume :
- 93
- Issue :
- 370
- Database :
- Gale General OneFile
- Journal :
- Antiquity
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsgcl.600160442
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2019.109