Biblical Bestiary: Camel

For millennia, the camel has been an indispensable companion for various peoples throughout the lands of the Bible. Historically, the region has been home to the one-humped Arabian camel, or dromedary (Camelus dromedarius), although the two-humped Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), native to central Asia, also occasionally appears in ancient art and literature. The lucrative trade in precious commodities from Arabia, including frankincense, myrrh, saffron, and cinnamon, fully depended on these sturdy beasts so perfectly adapted to the rough and arid conditions of the desert environment. These ships of the desert can walk up to 25 miles a day and can […]