64
30°46′43″N / 34°47′30″E
October 9, 2011. Terracing along a steep hillside within the Ovdat/‛Abdāt (Heb./Arabic) reserve (see 69). At the top of the image, where the ground is covered with scattered erratic rocks, the land appears in its untouched state; toward the slopes in the foreground, the rocks have been gathered from the land and formed into terraces that descend the hillside. The conical formations along the upper portion of the image, measuring about 100 x 30 centimeters, are known as tuleilat al-‛ēnab (Arabic, “grape mounds,” see 42). The moisture, collected within the center of the mound, protects and nurtures the young grape vine. As the slope descends, the terraces—free of rocks that impede the planting—were used to grow seasonal vegetables. Even in years when rain arrived, the vegetables and their variety were poor.