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Philistines introduced sycamore, cumin and opium poppy into Israel during the Iron Age
Science Daily ^ | August 28, 2015 | Bar-Ilan University

Posted on 09/01/2015 2:15:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

The team compiled a database of plant remains extracted from Bronze and Iron Ages sites in the southern Levant, both Philistine and non-Philistine...

The species they brought are all cultivars that had not been seen in Israel previously... edible parts of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) which originates in western Europe; the sycamore tree (Ficus sycomorus), whose fruits are known to be cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean, especially Egypt, and whose presence in Israel as a locally grown tree is first attested to in the Iron Age by the presence of its fruit; and finally, cumin (Cuminum cyminum), a spice originating in the Eastern Mediterranean...

In addition to the translocation of exotic plants from other regions, the Philistines were the first community to exploit over 70 species of synanthropic plants (species which benefit from living in the vicinity of man) that were locally available in Israel, such as Purslane, Wild Radish, Saltwort, Henbane and Vigna. These plant species were not found in archaeological sites pre-dating the Iron Age, or in Iron Age archaeological sites recognized as belonging to non-Philistine cultures -- Canaanite, Israelite, Judahite, and Phoenician. The "agricultural revolution" that accompanied the Philistine culture reflects a different agrarian regime and dietary preferences to that of their contemporaries.

The fact that the three exotic plants introduced by the Philistines originate from different regions accords well with the diverse geographic origin of these people. The Philistines... integrated with Canaanite and other local populations, finally to disappear at the end of the Iron Age (ca. 600 BCE).

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: agriculture; ancientnavigation; animalhusbandry; cumin; dietandcuisine; fig; figs; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; henbane; huntergatherers; opiumpoppy; papaversomniferum; philistia; philistine; philistines; purslane; saltwort; sycamore; vigna; wildradish
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This is the structure of Iron Age Floral List at each site. Circle size reflects the total number of new plant species recognized in Iron Age sites. Red indicates new species that appeared only in Philistine Iron Age sites. Green indicates species that appeared only in non-Philistine Iron Age contexts. Blue denotes species shared by Philistine and non-Philistine sites. The three numbers represent the quantity of Philistine species/non-Philistine species/shared species, at a site. Credit: Map produced by M. Frumin using ArcGIS for Desktop (ArcMap 10.1), ESRI.

Credit: Map produced by M. Frumin using ArcGIS for Desktop (ArcMap 10.1), ESRI.

1 posted on 09/01/2015 2:15:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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2 posted on 09/01/2015 2:19:17 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; ...

3 posted on 09/01/2015 2:19:22 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: SunkenCiv

Just so everybody knows, Ficus sycomorus is not the North American Sycamore we all know. It is a fruit tree...............Apparently what Zaccheus climbed in to to see Jesus................


4 posted on 09/01/2015 2:35:13 PM PDT by Red Badger (READ MY LIPS: NO MORE BUSHES!...............)
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To: SunkenCiv

Confessions of a Philistine Opium-Eater.


5 posted on 09/01/2015 2:36:48 PM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: SunkenCiv

Apart from the sycamore, the cumin and the opium poppy, what have the Philistines EVER done for us?


6 posted on 09/01/2015 2:38:31 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: SunkenCiv

So Goliath was high?


7 posted on 09/01/2015 2:40:47 PM PDT by xp38
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To: SunkenCiv
Ficus sycomorus

Range


8 posted on 09/01/2015 2:40:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Red Badger

Im guessing from the Latin name, its a variety of fig


9 posted on 09/01/2015 2:44:17 PM PDT by muir_redwoods (Freedom isn't free, liberty isn't liberal and you'll never find anything Right on the Left)
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To: muir_redwoods

Yes, it’s also called the Sycamore Fig..............


10 posted on 09/01/2015 2:53:34 PM PDT by Red Badger (READ MY LIPS: NO MORE BUSHES!...............)
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To: Red Badger

Plane trees weren’t known to the Persians — when they conquered Lydia (which lay in Anatolia, part of Turkey today) the Persian king was quite taken with them; the story I remember reading (high school’s been a while) — a hollow sycamore was found that was so large inside the trunk that a dinner for the king and 12 guests was given.


11 posted on 09/01/2015 2:58:00 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: muir_redwoods

Nice, something new for today:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficus_sycomorus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platanus


12 posted on 09/01/2015 3:00:48 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: BenLurkin

Thanks BenLurkin. One pic I just saw has fruit that looks like a pomegranate (which is related to the fig anyway, if memory serves).


13 posted on 09/01/2015 3:02:17 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: MUDDOG; dfwgator; xp38

:’)


14 posted on 09/01/2015 3:04:08 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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“Giving Goliath His Due”:

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/281052439_Giving_Goliath_His_Due_New_Archaeological_Light_on_the_Philistines

http://www.andrews.edu/library/car/cardigital/Periodicals/AUSS/1994-1/1994-1-12.pdf


15 posted on 09/01/2015 3:04:54 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: Red Badger; MUDDOG; dfwgator; xp38; BenLurkin; muir_redwoods
Here are the earlier fig cultivation topics:
16 posted on 09/01/2015 3:19:58 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: SunkenCiv

In the book of Revelation, a certain tree is listed as being shipped from “Babylon” to the merchants of the world. That tree only grows in the Middle East; not in America. So, from that, I have to conclude that “Babylon” is in the Middle East and not New York as many seem to wish it to be.


17 posted on 09/01/2015 3:41:25 PM PDT by Twinkie (John 3:16)
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To: SunkenCiv

Figs and prosciutto, a match mad in heaven, or at least in Italy.


18 posted on 09/01/2015 4:04:41 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: Twinkie

Obviously, since America isn’t mentioned in the Bible.


19 posted on 09/01/2015 4:16:14 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: colorado tanker

Great, now I’m hungry...


20 posted on 09/01/2015 4:23:50 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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