There are two groups of date species eastern and western. Call it Canaan, the Levant or the Ancient Near East; the region has always had a troubled history of warfare and invasions. As a result, the tithing ceremony was held on Friday. Very much like the lyrics of the famous She may be ancient Egypts most famous face, but the quest to find the eternal resting place of Queen Nefertiti has never been hotter. They were widely used for different kinds of diseasescancers, TB [tuberculosis]all kinds of problems., Harvested dates grown on the ancient Judean date palm. You can view our live recording of the harvesthere. 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. Later this fall, the Arava Institute plans to offer a limited number of dates for sale at the Kibbutz Ketura guesthouse. It is chronicled in the Bible, Quran, and ancient literature for its diverse powers. 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. Dr. Sarah Sallon, the director of the Borick Natural Medicine Research Center at Hadassah University Hospital, and Dr. Elaine Solowey, who runs the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies at Kibbutz Ketura, have so far successfully managed to germinate seven seeds, among dozens that they have attempted to revive. Fifteen years ago, the first tree Solowey sprouted was a male. Buried beneath the rubble, Yadin unearthed a small stockpile of seeds stowed in a clay jar dating back 2,000 years. Remove the seeds from the fruit, and wash them to remove any excess fruit particles. The seeds of Judean date palms turn out to have remarkable longevity. 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. Its possible that they brought the seeds with them on their return to Zion, she said. 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. However, its value was also the source of its demise and eventual extinction. In time, Hannah gave birth to a son, Samuel, who was the nazirite that chose Saul and David, the first two kings of Israel, for Gods people (1 Samuel 1). Cultivation of dates in the region almost disappeared after the fourteenth century AD from a combination of climate change and infrastructure decay but has been revived in modern times. It takes time for seedlings to become seed-bearing trees, but eventually, that time came. But they're not the original date tree that grew here, Sallon said. Joanna Gillan is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. The researchers conducted a series of tests to verify the age of the seeds, and it was confirmed through carbon 14 dating that they were more than 2,000 years old. By June 2008, the tree had nearly a dozen fronds and was nearly 1.4 metres (4ft 7in) tall. 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. After all, date palms are praised in the Bible as well as in Islam, Greek and Roman civilizations as symbols of beauty, fertility, peace, and victory. 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 harvested dates are undergoing study regarding their properties and nutritional values. The largest and most famous so far has been dubbed Methuselah, but the plant turned out to be a male, meaning it will never bear fruit. ( Arava Institute for Environmental Studies ). A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire. The seedlings would later be moved to Kibbutz Ketura. For conservation, Sallon, who moved from England to Israel, tells NoCamels. The first of the ancient date seedlings, Methusaleh, is named for the oldest person mentioned in the Bible. Of these, six of the seeds successfully sprouted. Dr. Elaine Solowey, director of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture of the Arava Institute, and Dr. Sarah Sallon, director of the Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center of Hadassah Hospital, harvested these ancient dates in the culmination of an ambitious, decades-long experiment to raise the biblical-era Phoenix dactylifera date palm from the dead. Shes the fifth such tree to be planted there after Methuselah, Adam, Jonah and Hannah. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. One was separated out as a control. We hope that one day these trees that came from 2,000 years ago will be the hope of peace in our region, Abu Hamed said. And Solowey and Salone are hoping eventually to add the revived Judean dates to the harvest. Date plants grown from 2,000 year-old-seeds | CNN In addition to its honoured place in the history of Judea, the palm may contribute useful characteristics, such as environmental tolerance and disease resistance, to modern date cultivars. Trees are like humans in that you need the pollen from a male tree to pollinate the flowers of a female plant. The first leaves were plagued with white spots, which the researchers put down to insufficient nutrients, and it was thought that the plant would never survive. They were then dosed with Gibberellic acid, a growth-promoting plant hormone, and enzymatic fertilizer. (2015) Extinct Tree Resurrected from Ancient Seeds is now a Dad. Ancient Origins. The remaining 33 were carefully soaked in water and fertilizer to encourage germination. Dr. 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. Groves of Judean dates once flourished in Israel, as described by Pliny and Josephus, and were famous across the Roman Empire. Credit: Sarah Sallon Ruth Schuster May 6, 2021 But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. (DtoF) Boaz (54 months), Judith (47 months), and Hannah (88 months). Haaretz Daily Newspaper Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Growth and development of the seedling over 26 months was compatible with normal date . In daily prayers, we note how the righteous (tzadik) will grow. Especially now, I think that people need that. One was separated out as a control. Sign up to our free daily newsletter today to get all the most important stories directly to your inbox. . Scientists in Israel grow date plants from 2,000-year-old 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. Six Ancient Plants From 2,000-Year-Old Seeds Have Been Grown - Newsweek Ancient date palms from the time of Christ revived by science - Aleteia (Guy Eisner) Scientists have cultivated plants from date palm seeds that languished in ancient ruins and caves for 2,000 years. Sallon, who lives in Jerusalem, offered one to a friend, but because she is an observant Jew, she couldnt accept it because it wasnt properly tithed, as Jewish religious law requires. In the mid-1900s, archaeologists discovered date palm seeds stored in an ancient jar in the ruins of the palace of Herod the Great in Masada, Israel. Now a major discovery has come regarding these projects, from of all places, his bathtub. More than 850,000 date trees grow in Israel. Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it. Sponsored by the Asper Foundation and Reichman University. The date palms are named for Biblical figures. This amazing date tree was grown from a seed preserved since - Medium Hannah was the first female tree. Top Image: Methuselah is a Judean date palm grown from a 2,000-year-old seed found at Masada. [13][15] Three of the seeds were subsequently planted at Ketura, Israel, in the Arabah in southern Israel. . Hundreds of seeds were collected between 1963 and 1991. (Guy Eisner / Sciencemag). By the age of 10, most children in the United States have been taught all 50 states that make up the country. Dubbed Methuselah it was the oldest seed ever grown attracting wide international attention. Judean Date Palm 'Bears Fruit" and Comes Out of Extinction Hannahs DNA is reminiscent of that of ancient trees from Mesopotamia, todays Iraq, as is the modern zahidi variety, which is considered an Iraqi species. 6. I think thats why weve got such a tremendous response to bringing these dates back from extinction, she says. Ever Tried 2,000-year-old Dates? Now You Can, Thanks to These - Haaretz But I will secretly plant one of the seeds from Hannah here and hope that in another 20 years, it will produce fruit.. Please check your information and try again or call us at 1-800-759-0700. They are drier and sweeter than the medjool date and taste like natural honey. She was planted in 2019. Hannah grew for six years, then flowered. Collect date seeds. Antibiotics didnt help. Yes, the New York Times justbroke the storyof the children of Methuselah and Hannah, biblical date trees (that didnt meet on JDate) with some impressive history and something to teach at this perilous time as a lead up to the Jewish New Year., Just 30 miles north of the Red Sea, in the Negev Desert, scientists from the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies travelled back in time two millennia, becoming the first people to pick and sample dates from trees with roots stretching back to the days of Jesus and the Maccabees., Dr. But now, after 2,000 years, the Judean date palm is back and the sweet ancient fruit has been harvested once again. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, The Green Children of Woolpit: Legendary Visitors from Another World, The Evidence is Cut in Stone: A Compelling Argument for Lost High Technology in Ancient Egypt, Caesars Savage Human Skewers Unearthed In German Fort. And then I realized that many of these species had actually disappeared. To donate to Dr. Soloweys ancient dates research project, click here. Scientists in Israel grow date plants from 2,000-year-old seeds Available at: https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/palm-tree-0013259. {amount} donation plus {fee_amount} to help cover fees. 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. until the 11th century C.E.but then it went extinct centuries ago. 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. We are planting our second, female date tree, who was sprouted from an ancient seed. They are similar in taste and form to the modern day zahidi dates. The Judean dates harvested from Hannah have a light brown skin, fibrous and chewy honey-colored flesh, and is less sweet than the popular Medjool date. Save the date: Long-lost fruit trees sprout from 2,000-year-old seeds They dont read science journals, she tells NoCamels, noting that her friend, Jane Goodall, wrote the introduction to her unpublished childrens book. The Judean date disappeared entirely, and this site is also in terrible danger of destruction. As soon as the ancient Judean date palm had grown into a tree, Ms. Solowey used genetic testing on it to confirm if it was indeed male and thus incapable of producing fruit. Though it was disputed for many years, there is conclusive evidence that Neanderthals bred with modern humans (Homo sapiens). Over the past 15 years, a project has been underway in Israels southern Arava region to revive ancient species of date palms germinated from seeds found at archaeological digs in the Judean Desert. An ancient date seed (Phoenix dactylifera L.) excavated from Masada and radiocarbon-dated to the first century Common Era was germinated. Date Palm Sprouted from Ancient Seed Gives Fruit Like That of Bible Times, Jerusalem Dateline: 8/4/17 How the Dead Sea Is Giving Life, Revival Goes Nationwide, Hits Theaters After 'Jesus Revolution' Film as Well as ORU, Portland, Ohio State, Teen Witch Collapses on Church Doorstep, Finds Freedom from 'Torment' After Deal with the Devil, 'Great Peace in Jesus': Kelsey Grammer Gets Real About His Faith Journey with Jesus. And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there beside the water. Genesis 5:25-27 says that Methuselah lived 969 years! But centuries ago, the land that is now the United States was a very different place As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. The skin of the fruit is light brown and it is reported to be less sweet, and more fibrous and chewy than the Medjool date commonly grown in Israel today. A land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey. After this process, one seed was found to be damaged and was subsequently discarded. The conditions were dry and arid enough to preserve the seeds for 2,000 years. Most people know of the great construction achievements of the dynastic Egyptians such as the pyramids and temples of the Giza Plateau area as well as the Sphinx. They were big; they were sweet. 'The Resurrection of 2000-Year-Old Ancient Date Seeds': New Fruit God is everywhereeven in the news. Both seeds have been dated to between the 4th and 2nd centuries B.C.E. These unique dates are currently being kept cool in storage. For more information and/or interview requests, please contact Institute Deputy Director Eliza Mayo. 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. 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. As part of this endeavor, Dr. Solowey succeeded in germinating one of these ancient date seeds in 2005, initially thought to be botanically impossible. They all sat in storage for over 40 years. And I look at the plantations on Ketura. Over the past decade, they grew an ancient Judean . These semi-dry dates with a reddish blonde color were recently harvested. References to it are made in the Bible, the Koran, and other ancient literature. [6] Andrea Moresino-Zipper contests that in the former case, it is the woman who symbolises the defeated Judaea and the towering, dominating palm stands for victorious Rome, while in the latter case the palm tree does represent Judaea.[6]. Scientists Resurrect Mysterious Judean Date Palms From Biblical Era Methuselah the tree was grown from a 2,000-year-old seed found at Masada. Dr. Sallon, who researches natural medicine, is one of the few lucky ones to have had the opportunity to taste one of the 111 ancient Judean dates harvested in September at Kibbutz Ketura in southern Israel. Judean date palms were wiped . The seven ancient Judean date palm accessions originate from the germination of date palm seeds collected during archaeological excavations of three sites in the Judean desert (21, 22). Solowey soaked the seeds in enzymatic water and fertilizer and planted them in sterile potting soil in pots in a greenhouse. Specimen Pindo Palm Tree can be seen on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, GA. The proud parents are date palms grown from ancient seeds uncovered in archeological excavations in Israel., Not as sweet as the Medjool date, not sticky at all, and with a pleasant honey aftertaste is how Dr. Sarah Sallon describes the taste of a date sprouted from a 2,000-year-old seed., So what do 2,000-year-old dates taste like? 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. Extensively described in antiquity, its image appeared on coins and synagogues as a symbol of the region while its fruits were famous for their taste, large size and medicinal . No. Younger Methuselah. She writes and talks about the creativity and innovation taking place in Israel and beyond. Methuselah, Adam, and Hannah date back to the first to fourth centuries BCE. SEE ALSO: Bottoms Up: Israeli Scientists Brew Beer With Resurrected Yeast From 5,000 Years Ago. In 2005, Dr. Sarah Sallon challenged her friend and fellow scientist, Dr. Elaine Solowey from the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, to see if they could get any of the date palm seeds to grow. Sarah M. Wells is the author ofThe Family Bible Devotionaland two collections of poems,Between the Heron and the MossandPruningBurning Bushes. On August 23rd, 2021, Arava Institute staff harvested three bunches of dates from our world-famous ancient date palms. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.. And though shes just nine-years-old, she carries an ancient heritage. At the heart of the ceremony was a small package of dates. Read more: Date palm grown from 2,000-year-old seed is a dad . The Date Palm - Way of Life CBN Partners provide hope to those who are suffering! [13] She challenged her friend, Dr. Elaine Solowey from the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, with the task[14] and in 2005 Dr. Solowey managed to sprout several seeds, after slowly hydrating them in a common baby bottle warmer, then pretreating them in an ordinary solution of fertilizer and growth hormone. The species has earned the new name Judean date palm, along with the scientific name Phoenix dactylifera. In the paper published by Science Advances, the scientists say the genetic relationships between the ancient date and current varieties show Methuselah and Adam close to eastern modern varieties Fardh4 and Khalass, respectively, assigned to current Arabian Gulf varieties; Hannah and Judith related to modern Iraqi varieties Khastawi and Khyara, respectively; and Uriel, Boaz, and Jonah, the most western genotypes, related to modern Moroccan varieties, Mahalbit, Jihel, and Medjool, respectively.. During 19631965, excavations at Herod the Great's palace on Masada, Israel, revealed a cache of date palm seeds preserved in an ancient jar. Two of . I am sure you are familiar with his legend which states that he was born in a manger surrounded by shepherds, about Herod the Greats Alabaster Bathtubs, about Seleucid Sling Stone Sheds New Light on Jewish Hannukah Story, about Rogue Priest Second Temple Silver Coin Found By Girl in Jerusalem, about Evidence of Hannukah Story Found in Razed Hellenistic Fortress, about New Study Reveals How Legendary Assyrian Siege Ramp Overcame Lachish, about Mesopotamian Superpowers Laying Waste To The Ancient Near East, For Sale In Britain: A Small Ancient Man With A Colossal Penis, Sacred Marvels: 17 Cathedrals That Will Take Your Breath Away, In Pictures, Egyptologists Reveal a Lost Chamber in the Great Pyramid With Cosmic Rays, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Unleashing the End of the World. Need prayer? Years ago at Masada, archaeologists found a jar of those ancient date seeds. If you dont look back to the history you will not see the future. How could it be?" But Dr. Sarah Sallon of the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem began to look for more Judean date palm seeds and 30 of the ancient seeds were recovered from Qumran, the same location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the desert. Home Judean Date Palm Grown From 2,000 Year Old Seed Bears Fruit. We need a lot of data to do research on, to work out the properties, what the nutritional value is, says Sallon, a pediatric gastroenterologist who directs the Louis L. Borick Natural Medicine Research Center at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, as to why the bulk of the date harvest was taken to research labs. Climatic conditions at the Dead Sea may have contributed to the longevity of this oldest, directly dated, viable seed. Researchers celebrate and sample the first fruit of palm trees germinated from ancient seeds from the Judean desert. Modern day studies have shown dates benefit digestion, lower cholesterol, improve memory, increase blood production, have aphrodisiac properties, and strengthen the nervous system. This is something that came from the past and is still alive.. 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 . Great piece I had no idea about such amazing botanical work going on. After all, it took 15 years of patience, hope, anticipation, and ground-breaking agriculture techniques to make the seemingly botanically impossible feat possible. A little, young-looking palm tree named Judith was planted on Kibbutz Ketura recently. 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. To read about Dr. Soloweys work to protect other endangered plant species click here. Government Bouncers on Your Church's Front Door? The tree so defined the local economy that it became a prime resource for the invading Roman army to destroy. 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. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. She was soon proven wrong. The Judean date palm is a date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera) grown in Judea. They selected 34 seeds they thought were the most viable. 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. Scientists Revive Ancient Trees From 2,000-Year-Old Seeds, Scientists successfully grew plants from 2,000- year- old seedstes Like Jesus Ate? The two stories are related, she said, because people destroyed the trees and now the land. The other date palms to have sprouted from these ancient seeds are known as Adam, Hannah, Judith, Jonah, Boaz and Uriel. Germinated ancient Judean date seedlings. 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. Hundreds of seeds were collected between 1963 and 1991. Long the only lonely representative of its kind, the Judean palm in now reproducing and giving researchers a unique glimpse back in time. [9] A 1974 study blames the 15th-century disappearance of date palms from the Jericho-Ein Gedi region on human activity, but Goor raises the possibility that the climate change led to the springs in the area delivering less water, which harmed the water-intensive cultivation of date palms.[9]. I wanted to see how medicinal the flora of Israel was and what it had been used for and so on. But the plant went extinct due to waves of conquest and intentional destruction. Children today are the stewards of this planet. Sallon says the dates seem to offer hope in todays world of uncertainty. Phoenix dactylifera and over 1000 other quality seeds for sale. The species is widely cultivated and is naturalized in . It played a significant role in the Judean economy for about two millenniaat the least from the fifth century B.C.E. Who would have thought seeds thousands of years old would germinate?!? Make sure to buy dates that haven't been pitted. 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. reported that Methuselah was over ten-feet tall and had been used to pollinate a wild modern female date palm. All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream. Hannah wassprouted from a 2,000 year-old seed, and pollinated by another Ancient Judean date tree. Phoenix dactylifera date or date palm is a flowering plant species in the palm family Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. 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. Dates were famous in antiquity for medicinal value, said Solowey.