Image Details

Joseph Callaway
Agricultural terraces at Khirbet Raddana, about ten miles north of Jerusalem. Where Israelites once constructed hillside terraces, farmers today work the land and build terraces using similar methods: Dry-laid stone retaining walls are erected along the outer edge of natural limestone terraces. The walls hold soil in place to create a level area for farming.
The Israelites settled in the hills because the Canaanites occupied the fertile lowlands. The technique of terracing transformed the economy of these struggling settlers; successful cultivation of the hillsides allowed the Israelites to become self-sufficient and independent.