Palestine was the name given to the country between Egypt and Syria. It is bordered on three sides by mountains and hills, and in the east is dissected by the deep, narrow valley of the Jordan River, which flows into the salty and lifeless Dead Sea.
Until the end of the 4th millennium BC. e. Palestine's climate was humid. The western part turned out to be swampy, in Transjordan there were lush pastures, and dense forests grew in the valleys of the Jordan River and its tributaries. It was as if the country was created for agriculture. It arose here back in ancient times- during the Mesolithic or early Neolithic period. Much later, the climate became drier, forests and swamps gradually disappeared, and the steppes became poorer. Dense forests and shrubs remain only in the Jordan Valley.
Already ancient Egyptian data from the 3rd millennium BC. e. talk about the life of Semites in Palestine. They were engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture. At the turn of the 4th and 3rd millennia BC. e. people lived in fortified settlements and knew copper tools. Egyptian troops made campaigns here. During the Middle Kingdom, the Palestinian tribes were subject to the Egyptian pharaohs.
Great changes in the life of Palestine occurred in the 2nd millennium BC. e. New tribes - the Hurrians - penetrate into the country from the north. Now the residents are more engaged in nomadic cattle breeding. Despite some spread of the Hurrian language, Western Semitic was mainly spoken. At the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e. in these places they used donkeys, which replaced horses.
In the 18th century BC. e. a union of tribes was created, which were called the Hyksos. The reasons for the creation of the union and its history are not known, but it covered the territory from Northern Syria to Egypt, and its center, apparently, became Palestine. The Hyksos controlled some part of Egypt and, judging by archaeological excavations, they got rich there.
In the 1st half of the 16th century BC. e. the situation has changed. The Hyksos were first expelled from Egypt, and then Palestine came under Egyptian rule. The Egyptians were now plundering the country, which had become a source of slaves. Only through constant military campaigns and the maintenance of military garrisons subordinate to Egyptian governors did Egypt manage to maintain its power here.
In addition to the settled Canaanite-Hurrian population, to which the Hittites may have been added during the Hittite-Egyptian wars, people associated with the desert nomads lived in Palestine. Some of them were also engaged in agriculture, gradually settling down and preserving primitive communal orders. These people, who in written sources are called hapiru, and in Sumerian sagaz (vein cutters, thugs), sometimes appeared in peace, as hired agricultural workers, sometimes in war, trying to seize the land and fortresses of the settled population. They were quite dangerous for the Egyptians and the local Canaanite-Hurrian authorities. After all, the local residents, in alliance with the hapiru, could oppose them. The Hapiru mainly lived in the eastern and southern regions Lebanese mountains. Among them could be the ancestors of the Jews.
A crushing blow to Egypt’s rule in Asia was dealt by the invasion of the “peoples of the sea” - tribes of the coast and islands of Asia Minor, as well as the Aegean Sea, who began their movement in the 2nd half of the 13th century BC. e. These tribes walked along with fire and sword east coast Mediterranean Sea, devastating the southern regions of the Hittite state.
In the XIII - XII centuries BC. e. There were many Canaanite city-states in Palestine. Next to them lived tribes of ancient Jews, for whom the collapse of the tribal system and the social stratification of the community was in full swing. Around the 1st half of the 13th century BC. e. The ancient Hebrew tribes united into a union called Israel. The Israelis seized the lands of the indigenous population. Having captured the lands and cities of the Canaanites, they settled for permanent residence.
The relatively quick capture of Palestine by the ancient Jews was facilitated by the fact that the Canaanites were weakened by the continuous invasions of the Egyptians, and then by the invasion of the “Sea Peoples”. The tribes of the Israelites settled over a large area. In the south of Palestine, a tribe of Jews settled in the mountainous region. This tribe was the first to separate itself from the Israelite tribes. The Jews captured the largest and most fertile part of Palestine. They divided the captured lands into plots. Former land owners turned into slaves. The language of the Israelites was similar to Canaanite. This contributed to the unification of the Israelites and Canaanites. Soon the country began to prosper again. In the north, arable farming and gardening developed, grapes and olives were grown, winemaking and cattle breeding flourished. Iron became widespread, increasingly replacing bronze, and the development of mines began. Until the beginning of the 11th century BC. e. The Israelites were governed by a council of tribal nobility; in emergency cases, the tribe elected a leader - a “judge”.
Most often, military leaders or simply enterprising and pious people became judges. The last Hebrew judge was Samuel, who had to face a formidable danger - the tribes of the Philistines, one of the “peoples of the sea.” In the 11th century BC. e. they, using Crete as a base, settled in Canaan and created a union of five cities here: Gaza, Ascalon, Azoth, Gath and Ekron. It is from them that the Greek name “Palestine” comes from - the country of the Philistines. The Philistines were serious opponents for the Israelites, since they had iron weapons, while the Israelite tribes had bronze weapons. Around 1080 BC. e. The Philistines attacked the neighboring region of the Jews. They conquered some fortresses. The Philistines inflicted several defeats on the Israelites. Soon they managed to defeat the Jewish army, capture the city of Shiloh (Shiloh) and capture the Ark, the shrine of the ancient Jews.
In these difficult conditions, when the Israelites faced the threat of losing their political independence, Judge Samuel gathered all the elders of Israel and they jointly elected the first Jewish king - young Saul from the Benjaminite tribe, the son of a wealthy landowner. This happened in 1020 BC. e. Saul subjugated all the tribes of Israel, including the Jews, and began a difficult war with the Philistines. The first king was a rather contradictory personality; he was under great pressure from the heavy responsibility for the fate of his people. Because of his temper, he quarreled with Samuel, who turned away from the king. At this time, the young man David, a shepherd from Bethlehem, appeared in Saul’s circle. At first he was the king's favorite, but then he was forced to flee from Saul's suspiciousness to Samuel, and then go over to the side of the Philistines. In 1004 BC. e. During the battle between the Jews and the Philistines, Saul's army was destroyed, and the king himself committed suicide, throwing himself on his own sword so as not to be captured by the enemy. Upon learning of the death of the king, David, who did not take part in the battle, returned to Judea and was soon elected the second Hebrew king.
In 995 BC. e. David's troops stormed the Canaanite fortress of Zion, towering on a mountain above the Kidron River. Here the king founded a common Jewish capital, which was named Jerusalem. The ark, captured from the Philistines, was also moved here, which turned Jerusalem into the spiritual capital of all Jews. Since Jerusalem was located on land that did not belong to any of the Jewish tribes, the establishment of the capital in this city contributed to the strengthening of the political power of the king. With the help of the ruler of the Phoenician city of Tire, Hiram I, King David conquered the Philistines and included their cities in his state. During his reign, Israel waged constant wars with the tribes of Transjordan, thanks to which the young state received many slaves. David also captured some of the Aramean states of Syria. In 965 BC. e. King David died and the throne passed to his son Solomon. The new king decided to build a temple to the god Yahweh in Jerusalem, for the construction of which craftsmen from Phenicia were invited. In 950 BC. e. the construction of the sanctuary was completed. The famous Temple of Solomon was a relatively small building, the internal walls of which were lined with valuable wood and covered with gilding. After construction was completed, the temple was consecrated and the Ark was solemnly transferred into it. In the temple dedicated to Yahweh, who claimed to be the single deity of all Jews, there were no images of God - only golden seven-branched candlesticks and 2 copper tables decorated with floral patterns.
The first years of Solomon's reign were a time of peace and tranquility. The king entered into an alliance with the last pharaoh of the XXI dynasty of Egypt, entered into closer relations with the ruler of Tire, Hiram I, and sent expeditions to the mysterious country of Ophir. Solomon divided his state into twelve provinces, each of which was supposed to support the royal court for one month of the year. He also introduced a reasonable system of taxes and duties. Was created strong army with squads of chariots.
The northern Jewish tribes were unhappy with Solomon's policies. They did not want to pay taxes, and they were irritated that the king involved many Canaanites who were experienced in government affairs to govern the country. At the end of Solomon's reign, the northern Jews organized a conspiracy, headed by the head of construction work in the capital, Jeroboam. However, the plot was discovered, and Jeroboam was forced to flee to Egypt, where the new pharaoh Sheshenka came to power, who wanted to restore Egyptian influence in Syria and Palestine. After the death of Solomon in 526 BC. e. his son Rehoboam became the new king. Upon his accession to the throne, the people demanded a reduction in taxes, and when this did not happen, the state split into two parts. Soon Jeroboam came to Palestine with the Egyptian army. Jerusalem was taken by storm, the treasures of Solomon's temple and the royal palace were plundered. After this, the northern tribes finally broke away from Judea and created their own state of Israel. The descendants of King David continued to rule in Judea.
Israel was originally ruled by Jeroboam. But the position of his dynasty turned out to be fragile. The son of Jeroboam, who succeeded his father on the throne in 901 BC. e., very soon he was killed by the conspirators. After this, an endless series of palace coups and bloody murders began in the Northern Kingdom: more than half of the northern kings died a violent death. In 875 BC. e. military leader Omri seized power in Israel and founded his own dynasty, which lasted about 50 years. Omri made the capital of his state built by him impregnable fortress Samaria. The royal palace in Samaria, built by Omri, was rich and beautiful.
In the 7th century BC. e. Israel and Judah were established slave states. The life of the common population was very different from the life of the nobility. People lived in dirt, poverty and overcrowding. Wealthier people often had two-story houses. The first floor was occupied by workshops and utility rooms. Slaves also lived here. Members of a wealthy family were located on the second floor. The rich wore a long woolen cloak and soft boots. The clothing of the poor consisted of a long shirt. Men wore a woolen cap. In 722 BC. e. Assyrian king Sargon II attacked Israel. In the same year, the capital of the state of Samaria fell and the kingdom of Israel ceased to exist as an independent state. About 30 thousand Jews were forcibly taken to Media and Mesopotamia, and their lands were occupied by Babylonian and Aramaic colonists. Judea gave up part of its territory to the Assyrians and pledged to pay tribute in exchange for some phantom of independence.
After the defeat of Assyria at the end of the 7th century BC. e. in Judea tried to restore their power over Palestine. King Ionia carried out a number of reforms. He passed a law limiting debt bondage: “If you buy a Jewish slave,” this law said, “then let him work for you for six years. And in the seventh year let him be released freely.” A more important measure was religious reform. Ionia officially introduced monotheism - from now on the Jews had to worship only Yahweh, all other cults were abolished, and their priests were executed. However, hopes for restoring its former greatness were not destined to come true. In 609 BC. e. King Ionia died in a battle with the Egyptian army under the command of Pharaoh Necho. In 597 BC. e. The Babylonian army of King Nebuchadnezzar II sacked Jerusalem. 11 years later, in 586 BC. e., the Babylonians again came under the walls of the rebellious Jerusalem, took the city and drove its inhabitants to Mesopotamia. The kingdom of Judah was destroyed.
The subsequent period of Jewish history was called the “Babylonian captivity,” although only 10% of the inhabitants of Judea were driven to Mesopotamia. Over the course of two generations Jewish community in Babylon was in contact with the brilliant Akkadian culture, but the Chaldeans treated the settlers quite cruelly. Only in 538 BC. BC, when the Persian king Cyrus captured the Babylonian kingdom, the Jews were allowed to return home and rebuild Jerusalem. The new community was exempt from taxes and duties. Money for the construction of the city and the new temple was allocated from the revenues of the Syrian-Palestinian province. Community members were allowed to live according to the laws they created. The local population where the community was located was dependent on it. The creation of a temple-city community caused discontent among the inhabitants of Palestine. In this regard, the restoration of Jerusalem and its temple occurred very slowly and was completed only by the beginning of the 4th century BC. e. As in other societies of the Ancient East, religion played a leading role in the life of the Jewish state. The ancient Jews worshiped many gods that were common to all Western Semites. The Israelites, like the Canaanites, worshiped trees and stone pillars. Various cults associated with mountain peaks also developed. However, unlike other West Semitic tribes, the ancient Hebrews had a common god, Yahweh. Yahweh is the unpronounceable name of the one God, who was initially revered only in the tribe that gave Israel the first kings, and then began to be considered the main common Jewish deity.
The introduction of monotheism (monotheism) by the descendants of King David was closely connected with the movement of prophet-priests, to whom the will of God was revealed. Prophets were religious and political preachers who united around themselves disciples who preserved and transmitted the words of the teacher. One of the earliest prophets known to us was Yeshayahu (Isaiah), who lived in the 8th century BC. e. The prophet Yirmiah (Jeremiah), who lived in the tragic last years of the existence of Judea, left prophecies about the destruction of the temple of Yahweh. His younger contemporary Yehezkeelu, who was active at the beginning of the 6th century BC, also became widely known. e. The main theme of all prophecies was the requirement to recognize the one and only god - Yahweh. They believed that only a refusal to worship other gods and a righteous life could save the Jewish people. It was the decline of morals and vice, concentrated in the cities, that should have caused the punishment of the Lord, which was not slow to appear in the guise of enemy hordes from the east.
The main monument of Hebrew literature is the Old Testament, which was created during the 12th - 2nd centuries BC. e. It is believed that the 43 works of the Old Testament that have come down to us are only a small part of the vast Hebrew literature. The fact is that over time, the priests carefully selected works that corresponded to the ideas of monotheism and the teachings of the prophets. Then similar works were combined into a collection, the internal structure of which became the fruit of centuries of work by the priesthood. The Old Testament consists of the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings. The oldest part of this collection is the Pentateuch, the creation of which tradition attributes to Moses.
Scientists distinguish 3 main layers in this work: “Elohist”, named after the ancient god Ellohim, created in the 9th century BC. e. in the northern part of the country; compiled in the 10th century BC. e. in the south "Yahwist", dedicated to the god Yahweh; the so-called “Priest Code”, written in the 6th-5th centuries after the fall of the Jewish state. The “Prophets” part includes the historical books of the Bible, that is, the Hebrew chronicles, and the books of systematic sayings of the prophets and their disciples. The “Writings” included such masterpieces of Hebrew poetry as the Psalter, “Song of Songs,” Solomon’s parables and other lyrical works. For the first time in the history of mankind, the Old Testament presented a complete canvas historical development a separate people, whose action takes place surrounded by reality and myth. Many scientists believe that it was the ancient Jews who originated the perception and understanding of history as a continuous process. After careful scientific analysis, the Bible has become a valuable source on the history of the Middle East.
Palestine extends from the southern foothills of Lebanon to the northwestern borders of the Arabian Peninsula. In the east she
borders on the Syrian-Mesopotamian steppe, and in the west it is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. The territory of Palestine is very small and reaches only 26,000 km 2. Geographically, Palestine can be divided into four parts: the coast,
the plateau west of the Jordan, the Jordan Valley and the plateau east of the Jordan.
The southern part of the coast is watered by many rivers and is famous for its fertile soil; The lands of the Sharon Lowland, which was sometimes called the “Garden of Eden,” are especially fertile. Some inland regions of Western Palestine were also famous for their fertility, such as the Jezreel Plain, irrigated by the Kishon River, and the Jericho Plain, through which the Wadi Kelt flows. Even the date palm can grow in these hot and humid areas.
To the west of the northern part of the Jordan Valley is Galilee with its valleys, plains and mountain slopes, well watered by mountain streams and springs. This country, favorable for the development of agriculture, was densely populated in ancient times, as evidenced by the numerous ruins of ancient cities.
Some areas east of the Jordan were also very fertile. This is the country of Bashan, which was famous for its agricultural products. However, not all parts of Palestine were suitable for agriculture. The mountainous regions in the southern part of Western Palestine, which were called “mountains of Ephraim” and “mountains of Judah,” were barren. Here begins the dry steppe, the population of which was forced to engage in cattle breeding.
The infertile and poorly irrigated plateaus of Eastern Palestine were also more convenient for the development of cattle breeding than for agriculture. The Jordan Valley had special conditions. In some areas, such as near Lake Gennesaret, it is fertile and favorable for agriculture, but for almost its entire length this narrow strip of land, overgrown with reeds, was like a jungle, inhabited by predatory animals. Therefore, the Jordan Valley was like a barrier sharply separating Western Palestine from Eastern Palestine.
The natural wealth of Palestine is insignificant. In the eastern part of Palestine, as well as in the south, forests still remained in ancient times, but they were more like groves. Tall trees were rare and were considered the abode of the deity. Construction and mast timber had to be brought from neighboring countries.
Palestine did not have its own metal ore. The nearest copper mines were in the mountains of Lebanon and in the country of Edom, southeast of Palestine, and near the Gulf of Aqaba, where ancient copper mining was discovered. The soil of Palestine is rich in clay, a good ceramic raw material that has been used since ancient times for making bricks and vessels. Various types of stone were used to build city and fortress walls, as well as large buildings.
Behind Lebanese mountains, east of the cities Phenicia lay ancient fertile lands. There were two northern rivers here - Orontes carried its waters from south to north and flowed into the Mediterranean Sea and the southern - Jordan, fell from north to south and fell into a huge salt Lake – Dead Sea. The Orontes Valley and surrounding lands have been named since ancient times Syria, and the Jordan basin and surrounding area Dead Sea the Greeks called Palestine . Phenicia, Palestine and Syria, three countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, were collectively called Canaan in Antiquity. Thanks to his geographical location the region of South Canaan - Palestine became a zone of interaction between the largest states of Antiquity. The most important caravan routes passed here - from Egypt to Asia Minor and Mesopotamia and back. In addition, a very important trade route from Europe to Asia passed through these lands. Both peaceful trade caravans and conquering armies passed along these routes. Rich country attracted conquerors in all eras of its millennia-long history.
The Jordan, a deep but narrow river, compared to the great Euphrates, the Tigris, and especially the Nile, the Jordan may seem like a trickle. That's why in Palestine there were no conditions for the creation of an irrigation network and developed agriculture. To the west of the Jordan River, the lands of Palestine rose in the highlands. Near the mountain slopes there were oases and fertile valleys. To the east was a mountainous region covering the historical regions of Palestine - Galilee, Samaria and Judea. Here, farming became possible early on on the mountain slopes and in the valleys, and cattle breeding was also very developed. South of Jordan was the famous Dead Sea, with sun-scorched, almost lifeless shores.
Dense thickets of forest and bushes lined the banks of the Jordan; but this deep river depression did not turn like others river valleys in neighboring countries, into the vital artery of the country; it rather served as a barrier between its western and eastern halves. Beyond the Jordan are the steppes - the further east, the drier, turning into Syrian desert.
In the north of Palestine, the often snow-covered peaks of the Lebanese mountains rise. In the extreme south, Palestine becomes a dry, mountainous semi-desert stretching towards the mountains Sinai Peninsula . A dry, desert strip of lowlands occupies the isthmus that separates Palestine from Egypt. Since ancient times, steppe and semi-desert regions have been the habitat of pastoral tribes, which continually invaded the oases.
Ancient sources call Canaan a land “flowing with milk and honey,” and honey refers to date juice. Ancient scrolls list seven grains and fruits that the country is rich in: “wheat, barley, grapes, fig trees, pomegranates, olives and honey.” The oldest evidence of Canaanite agriculture is contained in Egyptian story about the nobleman Sinuhet(XX century BC). This is what Sinuhet writes about how he came to “...a beautiful land in which there were figs and grapes, more wine than water; a great abundance of honey, a multitude of olives and all kinds of fruit on the trees. There was wheat and barley there, and a great variety of livestock... I baked bread every day, had wine constantly, as well as boiled meat and roasted birds, not counting the desert antelopes...”
There were also minerals in Palestine. Small deposits of copper in the extreme south began to be developed in the 10th century BC. Much earlier, already in the middle of the third millennium BC. began to extract from the Dead Sea bitumen(natural asphalt) which was sold to the Egyptians. Thanks to the abundance of good-quality clay, along with making bricks, pottery was widespread. Weaving and dyeing also flourished. Along with this, high-quality building stone was mined in the mountains, which was processed by stonemasons.
Living on the edge of survival under the constant threat of drought, locust attacks from the desert or invasions of nomads led to the fact that the peoples inhabiting these lands developed resistance to external influences, but a strong state covering the entire territory did not develop here. Extraordinary variety geographical conditions served as an obstacle to the merging of the population of such a small country into a single whole. Therefore, until the end of the ancient period, the isolation of individual regions remained in Canaan, expressed in differences in languages, customs, etc.
Geography of modern Palestine
Palestine was proclaimed as a state on November 15, 1988 in the city of Algiers at an extraordinary session of the Palestinian National Council.
The state is recognized by many countries of the world and is part of the League of Arab States. From European countries Iceland was the first to recognize Palestine in 2011. The country has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.
Note 1
A number of modern states, including the USA, Israel, Spain, Norway, and Sweden, do not recognize the state of Palestine.
Much of Palestine is under Israeli military control, even the part that officially belongs to the Palestinian National Authority.
The territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are still the subject of dispute between Palestinians and Israelis.
This name appeared when the Philistines came to the Levantine coast of the Mediterranean Sea. From that time on, the name Palestine was used by the Greeks, Arabs, Romans, Jews, and even the English mandate government.
But, it must be said that each of them defined geographical boundaries of this state. Modern Palestinian territory is divided into two parts - the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip.
West Bank The river stretches for 6 thousand km with a total border length of 400 km. Winters in these places are mild and summers are hot. The Dead Sea, located in Israel, is 400 m below sea level and is the lowest point in the area. Locals irrigate the land and use it for agriculture.
The topography of the West Bank is mostly flat, covered with small hills and desert. Forests occupy only 1% of the area, which is 6.2 thousand square meters. km. Here Palestine borders Jordan.
The second part of the country is the Gaza Strip, the territory of which is represented by hills and sand dunes. The climate is dry with very hot summers. The Gaza Strip's border with Israel runs for 62 km.
The Gaza Strip is washed in the west by the Mediterranean Sea and borders Egypt in the south. The population of the Gaza Strip is made up mainly of Arabs who fled Israeli soil more than 60 years ago. Today, descendants of refugees live in Gaza.
In general, the population of Palestine as of 2017 was 4.9 million people. Numerically, the male and female populations are almost equal, and the natural increase is positive. The country is characterized by migration processes. The average life expectancy of the male and female population is 72 and 76 years, respectively.
Arabic is official language state, but knowledge of Hebrew, English and French is also common.
Note 2
It must be said that not only during the period of British mandate rule, but also modern political borders are artificial and do not indicate a geographical or cultural area.
Natural conditions of Ancient Palestine
If the territory of Palestine is considered from a historical point of view, it was divided into three parts:
- the northern part - the lands of the coastal plain to the Mediterranean territories of Galilee;
- the central part is Samaria, located to the north of Holy Jerusalem;
- the southern part is Judea.
Such boundaries were established according to the biblical scriptures. The land of Palestine stretches from the southern foothills of Lebanon to the northwestern borders of the Arabian Peninsula.
The eastern border runs with the Syrian-Mesopotamian steppe, western border goes out to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, along the coast of which there is a fertile lowland, open to the sea winds.
In northern Palestine takes place mountain range Carmel, separating the lowland from Phenicia. The hilly highlands lie to the east of the lowlands, where in early centuries the population engaged in farming and pastoralism.
Even further east, the country is dissected by the narrow valley of the Jordan River, which flows into the Dead Sea.
Some areas east of the river were very fertile, such as the Bashan country, where agricultural products were grown.
The Palestinian lands west of the Jordan rose in the highlands. The plateaus of Eastern Palestine were more suitable for animal husbandry.
The mountainous regions of Western Palestine, especially its southern part, were infertile. They were called “mountains of Ephraim” and “mountains of Judah.”
The narrow Jordan Valley was overgrown with reeds almost throughout its entire length and looked like a jungle in which predatory animals lived. Dense forests and bushes grew along the banks of the river, but the river itself did not become the vital artery of the country; most likely, it was the border between the West and the East of the country.
The steppes located beyond the Jordan gradually turned into the Syrian Desert. The extreme south of Palestine, stretching towards the Sinai Peninsula, passes into a dry mountainous desert.
The isthmus separating Palestine from Egypt is occupied by dry and desert lowlands. Nature has not rewarded Palestine with natural wealth.
In ancient times, forests similar to groves still remained in the east and south of the country. There were few tall trees, and even if they were found, the population considered them the abode of the deity. The necessary timber was brought from neighboring countries.
In the depths of Palestine there were clay deposits. As a good ceramic raw material, it was used for the production of bricks and vessels. Brick was used to build city and fortress walls and to construct buildings.
Note 3
Thus, the northern and central parts of Palestine were most favorable for the development of agriculture and were densely populated in ancient times. Migration routes from Africa to Asia and back passed through here, and throughout its history, Palestine played the role of a kind of bridge between the West and the East.
Palestinian occupations
In the well-moistened areas of Palestine, the population switched to a sedentary lifestyle and was engaged in agriculture, while the mountain and steppe tribes still led a nomadic lifestyle.
The population back in the 3rd century BC. managed to domesticate some animals, including long-horned bulls, sheep, goats, donkeys, and dogs.
Oats, wheat, millet, and barley were sown on plowed lands using primitive technology. The hoe played a major role in agriculture, gradually giving way to the plow. The ripe crop was harvested using sickles equipped with flint teeth. Not only grain was grown on the land, but also gardens were planted - date palms and vineyards, fig trees, pomegranates, and olives.
The olives were used to produce olive oil, which the Egyptians exported from Palestine in huge quantities. Winemaking developed on the basis of viticulture.
The population of Palestine was engaged not only in agriculture, crafts were greatly developed - construction and fortress construction using bricks and building stones developed.
Stone weapons and tools were made from brick - these were stone axes, hoes, adzes, flint sickle blades.
Gradually, stone was replaced by metal - copper and bronze. Bronze daggers, axes, and figurines date back to the 2nd millennium BC.
The use of iron in Palestine dates back to the 12th-11th centuries BC. and it is used not only for the production of weapons, but also tools for agriculture.
A significant place is occupied by spinning and weaving, which arose, possibly, under the influence of Egypt. They made linen and woolen fabrics, gave them color and applied beautiful patterns.
The availability of high-quality clay contributed to the development of pottery. At this time, caravan trade was well developed. Wheat, fruits, flax, leather, and handicrafts were exported from Palestine. They imported Mycenaean vessels, handicrafts, grain, and myrrh.
As one might assume, even after briefly reading modern history Palestine, that the geography of Palestine is quite controversial, because the biblical version of the location of the Palestinian state is as controversial as the modern one.
Modern geography of Palestine
Today, modern geography of Palestine has undergone significant changes. So, in particular, those territories that historically belonged to Samaria and Judea in modern popular science literature are referred to as the “West Bank of the Jordan River.”
Palestine time
Considering that geographical coordinates states are defined as 31°30′ north latitude and 34°45′ east longitude, then local refers to the international time zone UTC+02:00 or EET.
Climate of Palestine
Considering that Palestine, its main part is desert, and is not significantly influenced by marine air masses, and is defined as Mediterranean. Moreover, with the presence of the interseasonal influence of cooled air flows coming from Judean Desert. However, despite this geography Palestine remains quite comfortable.
Palestine weather
Thus, since a significant part of the territory of Palestine is desert, and there is also no significant influence on the climate of this territory, the air masses of the Dead Sea are mainly characterized by positive temperatures throughout almost the entire year, with little precipitation.
Nature of Palestine
Just like on natural world any territory is significantly influenced by climate, it is characterized by a rather meager list of how flora, and fauna. It is worth noting that a significant part of the large mammals of Palestine were exterminated at the beginning of the last century. However, the rich history and culture, resulting in many ancient attractions, make
