Both Adam and Jonah have produced flowers. That allowed them to be exported all over the Roman empire and they had medicinal qualities, Sallon said. Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. [17] By November 2011 it was 2.5 metres (8ft 2in) high, having been transplanted from pot to earth. Because several seedlings are female, it is hoped that it will be possible to pollinate one or more of the female Judean date palms with the pollen from Methuselah. During the Byzantine and Arab periods (4th to 11th century AD) the Judean date palms were barely holding on and the continued waves of conquest and destruction meant that by the 19th century, no traces of these historic plantations remained, according to a study conducted about the trees in 2020. The Pindo Palm Tree is cold tolerant to USDA Zone 7. . If you dont look back to the history you will not see the future. Solowey planted some three thousand of them on Kibbutz Ketura, where each tree produces around 350 pounds of dates a year. Elaine Solowey of the Arava Institute of Environmental Studies with the tree named 'Judith. We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. See how the latest updates in Jerusalem and the world are connected to the prophecies we read in the Bible. Herod the Great was renowned for his ambitious projects and extravagant tastes. Call it Canaan, the Levant or the Ancient Near East; the region has always had a troubled history of warfare and invasions. And though Sallon compares the taste of these ancient Judean dates to the Medjool, she reiterates that she is not a food expert and simply happens to eat the Medjool variety. A previous experiment with the seeds produced a single male plant that sprouted in 2005 which the researchers named Methuselah. Once the Roman Empire took control of the kingdom in 70 AD, the date palms were destroyed in an attempt to cripple the Jewish economy. Judith and Hannah were female, but only Hannah flowered. said Solowey. This has been reissued in recently years as a 10 shekel coin. Methuselah was grown from a seed that was discovered at the archaeological excavations at Masada, while Hannah is from a seed discovered a little further north along the Dead Sea at Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. But as time progressed, the leaves began to look healthier. Sallon is hopeful that Hannah, a female date tree, will flower this year and the plant could be pollinated by Methuselah - a tree the team grew from a 1,900-year-old Judean date palm seed in 2008. Judean Date Palm Revived from Extinction by Emily Frances - i24, Sept. 14th, 2020 "Dr. Elaine Solowey, Desert Plant Pioneer, successfully grew an extinct Judean Date Palm tree from a 2000 year old seed. {amount} donation plus {fee_amount} to help cover fees. Both seeds have been dated to between the 4th and 2nd centuries B.C.E. Watch the video below to learn more about the resurrection of this formerly extinct Judean date palm tree. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around Iraq. In biblical times, the Judean date palm was revered throughout the region for its medicinal qualities. Medieval Sea Monster Was Likely a Whale, New Research Reveals, What is Shambhala? In ancient times, date palms were used for their supposed medicinal properties to cure many diseases and infections, promoting longevity and acting as a mild aphrodisiac. Methusaleh was even given the Guinness WorldRecords designation as the oldest seed cultivated. her team just so happens to have one other Judean date palm on hand in . A little, young-looking palm tree named Judith was planted on Kibbutz Ketura recently. Benjitheijneb/CC BY SA 3.0 (Creative Commons ) A tree grown from a 2,000-year-old seed may bring its sub-species back to Israel, where it once flourished, after a . The two researchers pollinated the flowers from Hannah with those of Methuselah to reconstruct the taste of ancient date palms to the maximum extent possible. In the Shephelah region or the Judean foothills of south-central Israel, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Seleucid Hellenistic fortress that was burned by Hasmonean (Judean) conquerors Israeli archaeologists have revealed the secrets behind the Assyrian siege ramp that conquered the ancient Judean town of Lachish. DF_JST1058_2000_Year_Old_Date_Palms_HD1080_0_273, Date palms from 2000-Year-Old Date Seeds. The Israeli scientists and horticulturists are now trying to find a way to use the tissue culture and make hundreds of thousands of exact replicas of Hannah, the date-palm tree germinatedfrom a seed dating back two millennia. A 15-year effort to germinate 2,000-year-old seeds from an ancient date palm is finally bearing fruit. It has allegedly served as both an aphrodisiac and a contraceptive, and as a cure for a wide range of health issues including cancer, malaria, and toothache. Sallons near future plans include learning more about the new-old dates, how to reintroduce the Judean date to the market, and continue to research the medicinal properties of these dates. After being kept in storage for over 40 years, a project initiated by Dr. Sallon, aimed to germinate ancient seeds found on archaeological sites in an effort to reintroduce extinct plants previously grown in the region. The first of the ancient date seedlings, Methusaleh, is named for the oldest person mentioned in the Bible. Genesis 5:25-27 says that Methuselah lived 969 years! If this is indeed a specific species, the author should make that clear and name the species. Specimen Pindo Palm Tree can be seen on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, GA. The experiment seeks to rediscover the origins of the historic date palm population and confirm the date seeds long-term durability, while shedding light on ancient cultivation techniques that nurtured this unique fruit and exploring its potential relevance for modern date agronomy. These unique dates are currently being kept cool in storage. I think thats why weve got such a tremendous response to bringing these dates back from extinction, she says. And we knew what there was, because it's mentioned in the Bible. [21], As of 2019, altogether thirty-two Judean date palm seeds have been grown from locations in the Dead Sea area, and six saplings (Adam, Jonah, Uriel, Boaz, Judith, and Hannah) have survived. They became symbols of "beauty, precious shade and succulent plenty," Kershner wrote. ( Marcos Schonholz ). Because they were famous. It became the Jews symbol of grace and elegance and was often bestowed by them to women. For example, Davids beautiful daughter was named Tamar. It played a significant role in the Judean economy for about two millenniaat the least from the fifth century B.C.E. Judith and Boaz date back to approximately mid-second century BCE. Methuselah the Judean Date Palm is still going strong even after sprouting from a 2,000-year-old seed. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. They are drier and sweeter than the medjool date and taste like natural honey. The species of palm was thought to be extinct for 800 years but hundreds of seeds of. The other date palms to have sprouted from these ancient seeds are known as Adam, Hannah, Judith, Jonah, Boaz and Uriel. The Judean Date Palm symbolized ancient Judah and was mentioned in the Bible but when the nation it symbolized was conquered and sent into exile in 70 CE, cultivation of dates in the region began to decline. The date was so important to the region that it featured on ancient coinage, and even on Israel's 10-shekel coin today. It grew around the Dead Sea in the south, to the Sea of Galilee and the Hula Valley regions in the north. Judean date palms were wiped . Now that the Judean date palm has been brought back to life and its fruit has even been harvested, researchers finally have the opportunity to study if the ancient medicinal claims are true. Modern day studies have shown dates benefit digestion, lower cholesterol, improve memory, increase blood production, have aphrodisiac properties, and strengthen the nervous system. Like Methuselah, they have all been given Biblical names. As of February 2020, Adam was 1.5 meters high (1.6 yards). symbolized ancient Judah and was mentioned in the Bible but when the nation it symbolized was conquered and sent into exile in 70 CE. [20] The genomes of these Judean date palms germinated from ancient seeds were sequenced and analyzed. The age of the seeds range from some of the oldest germinated seeds in the world - Methuselah, Hannah, and Adam with a carbon date to the first to fourth centuries BC, to the mid-second century BC to mid-first century AD plants known as Judith and Boaz, to the youngest of the Judean date palms - Uriel and Jonah are the youngest (first to second centuries AD). SEE ALSO: Israeli DNA Study Unveils Reconstructed Face Of Mysterious, Long-Lost Human Relative. Solowey soaked the seeds in enzymatic water and fertilizer and planted them in sterile potting soil in pots in a greenhouse. [17][20] By 2015 Methuselah had produced pollen that has been used successfully to pollinate female date palms. In February of this year, the latest scientific paper published about the germination of these seeds inScience Advances,revived new interest in these dates, says Sallon. The seeds were germinated by warming and hydrating them slowly and gradually. They were then dosed with Gibberellic acid, a growth-promoting plant hormone, and enzymatic fertilizer. Years ago at Masada, archaeologists found a jar of those ancient date seeds. The findings suggest that it might be a good option for examining the lifetime of plant seeds. Sarah Sallon, director of the Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center in Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, led a team that included Elaine Solowey, and Nathalie Chabrillange. Researchers revived a 2,000-year-old palm from seeds found inside an ancient Judean jar. In the Kingdom of Judea it was a source of food, shelter, medicine, and shade. The date palms are named for Biblical figures. Scientists Resurrect Mysterious Judean Date Palms From Biblical Era Methuselah the tree was grown from a 2,000-year-old seed found at Masada. Nevertheless, the taste and shape of these revived dates are consistent with the history of the dates that the two women have derived from their genetic research. A team led by Sarah Sallon, which planted these six trees, first tried in 2005 to germinate a 2,000-year-old seed from the . Hundreds of seeds were collected between 1963 and 1991. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist of the 1st century AD, wrote that Jericho's dates were known for their succulence and sweetness, though he distinguished a considerable variety of them and discussed several different varieties by name. Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. The same is true for date palms. But I will secretly plant one of the seeds from Hannah here and hope that in another 20 years, it will produce fruit.. Three weeks later, the oldest tree to be successfully germinated sprouted. The researchers discovered that the seeds were up to 30 percent larger than date seeds today, which probably meant the fruit was larger, too. And then I realized that many of these species had actually disappeared. And though shes just nine-years-old, she carries an ancient heritage., Its possible to divide the world in two: the part that venerates the humble-seeming fruit known as the date, and the part that does not. In the Kingdom of Judea it was a source of food, shelter, medicine, and shade. While waiting for the results of cross-pollination with the Egyptian 'date' ;-) I pray that more seeds be given to the researcher (and proud mama!) ( Arava Institute for Environmental Studies ). The Bible is our guidebook of ancient species, Sallon told CBN News. The seedlings would later be moved to Kibbutz Ketura. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. In ancient times the Judean date palm was a staple source of food, shelter, and shade. This week the Arava Institute celebrated the first Judean Dates ever to be grown into fruit since the time of King Herod., They were given Biblical names: Adam, Boaz, Hannah, Jonah, Judith and Uriel. The two stories are related, she said, because people destroyed the trees and now the land. So, in 2005, Sallon turned to Solowey, an expert on arid agriculture, for help. Its fruit was a staple of the Judean Desert and grew in thick forests along the Dead Sea and Jordan River valley. Germination of 2000-year-old seeds of Phoenix dactylifera from Judean desert archaeological sites provides a unique opportunity to study the Judean date palm, described in antiquity for the quality, size, and medicinal properties of its fruit, but lost for centuries. Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it. [8] Asaph Goor, in his 21-page article History of the Date through the Ages in the Holy Land, never mentions any such Roman devastation of the date palms, but rather cites numerous contemporary accounts attesting to the continuing extent of date cultivation through the Roman period. Call (800) 700-7000 or request prayer. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1. Judean date palms are praised in the Bible. So, for the kibbutz, it's a big venture, Sallon said. In Egypt and the Land of Israel, the two species come together. The Judean date disappeared entirely, and this site is also in terrible danger of destruction. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.. Many books and videos show depictions of vast work forces hewing blocks of stone in the hot desert sun and carefully setting them into place. Fifteen years ago, the first tree Solowey sprouted was a male. In 2005, a team of scientists sprouted a preserved 2,000-year-old seed, the oldest seed germinated with human-assistance (with the claim in 2012 of a 32,000-year-old arctic flower involving fruit tissue rather than a seed). Submitted by escamp on August 31, 2015 - 3:04pm. Great piece I had no idea about such amazing botanical work going on. Two of . They were the first dates to ripen from date palms grown from seeds that are more than 2,000 years old. In the middle of Israels Arava Desert, a farming community is bringing trees back to life thats bearing fruit from the time of the Bible. Judean date palm in 2012. Scientists Revive Ancient Trees From 2,000-Year-Old Seeds, Aided by Modern Ingenuity, a Taste of Ancient Judean Dates, Scientists pick and taste ancient dates for first time since the Second Temple, Dates from time of Maccabees & Jesus are revived, bring Jewish, Arab unity, Date Seeds Unearthed From the Time of Jesus Are Revived, Adding Fruit to Jewish, Arab Unity, Scientists grow fresh dates from a 6th BCE seed, What do 2,000-year-old Ancient Judean Dates taste like? God is everywhereeven in the news. To donate to Dr. Soloweys ancient dates research project, click here. Soak them in a bowl of cool water for 48 hours. Already in the fifth century BC, Herodotus noted that the greatest importance of the Judean dates was that they were drier and less perishable than those from Egypt and thus suitable for storage and export, which is still an important distinction today. But all was not lost, because in 1963, the late archeologist Yigael Yadin began excavating Masada, a mountaintop fortress built over 2,000 years ago on the shore of the Dead Sea, where King Herod built a spectacular palace. An ancient date seed (Phoenix dactylifera L.) excavated from Masada and radiocarbon-dated to the first century Common Era was germinated. On Friday, an unusual ceremony was held on a hilltop overlooking the Old City in Jerusalems Abu Tor neighborhood. The species has earned the new name Judean date palm, along with the scientific name Phoenix dactylifera. Joanna Gillan is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. After this process, one seed was found to be damaged and was subsequently discarded. They selected 34 seeds they thought were the most viable. Top Image: Methuselah is a Judean date palm grown from a 2,000-year-old seed found at Masada. You can use the pits from any fresh dates bought from the grocery store to grow a flourishing date palm. Credit: Sarah Sallon Ruth Schuster May 6, 2021 The seeds were held in storage for 40 years at Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan.. They were given the names Jonah, Uriel, Boaz, Judith, Hannah, and Adam. Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, Director of the Arava Institute at Kibbutz Ketura, sees this as. Exodus 15:27. Dr. Sarah Sallon came up with the initiative to germinate some ancient seeds[12] and persuaded the archaeological storage at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to share some. The seeds were held in storage for 40 years at Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan.[10][11]. Ages in months at time of photograph (AtoC) Adam (110 months), Jonah (63 months), and Uriel (54 months). Until Sallon initiated a project aimed at germinating ancient seeds to reintroduce extinct plants previously grown in the region and learn about their qualities. It is sometimes claimed that date growing as a commercial fruit export stopped at the end of 70 AD, when the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans. They selected 34 seeds they thought were the most viable. The remaining 32 seeds were planted in a quarantined site at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Kibbutz Ketura in southern Israel. This remarkable feat confirms the long-term viability of the kernels once ensconced in succulent Judean dates, a fruit cultivar lost for centuries. Eventually, Hannah produced 111 dates weighing between 15 and 18 grams each. However, its value was also the source of its demise and eventual extinction. were collected from Judean desert archaeological sites such as an ancient palace-fortress built by King Herod and caves located in southern Israel at Masada, Qumran, Wadi Makukh, and Wadi Kelt, located in the Judean desert between the Judean Hills and the Dead Sea. For thousands of years, the date palm was a staple crop. The open hilltop, which is known as the Hill of Evil Counsel, is at the center of a battle that the neighborhood residents, including Sallon, are fighting against a construction project that they say will obliterate it. Dates were one of the seven species listed as special to the land of Israel, described in the bible as honey., A land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; Deuteronomy 8:8. Available at: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/science/.premium-israeli-researchers-mate-2-000-year-old-date-seeds-hope-for-fruit-1.8503447, Kalman, M. (2005) Seed of extinct date palm sprouts after 2,000 years. SFGATE. I clicked on the link from Facebook because I remember date palms being grown and harvested in the San Diego area in the early 60's. In experiments praised by the Dalai Lama, for example, Dr. Sarah Sallon has shown that ancient Tibetan cures for cardiovascular disease really do work. Need prayer? Thank God for the faithfulness of his people though the ages - to leave these seeds, and to find and nurture one to grow. France's University of Montpellier conducted genetic testing on the Judean date and found that it shares some qualities with the Iraqi Zahidi date as well as other date varieties that were once grown in ancient Mesopotamia, Arabia, and Pakistan. The tree and its fruit are mentioned in the Song of Songs and Psalms and featured on coins throughout the region. Groves of Judean dates once flourished in Israel, as described by Pliny and Josephus, and were famous across the Roman Empire. And I look at the plantations on Ketura. But now, after 2,000 years, the Judean date palm is back and the sweet ancient fruit has been harvested once again.