Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir


The Cultural Landscape of the Southern Jerusalem terraces is located 7 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem and stretches along a series of valleys starting from Wadi Al-Makhrour west of Beit Jala towards the village of Husan, surrounding the village of Battir. These terraces are a significant part of the cultural landscape of the central highlands of Palestine, extending from Nablus in the north to Hebron in the south. They serve as a tangible testament to human interaction with nature and the shaping of the landscape for human use over thousands of years up to the present day.

The site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014 under criteria (iv) and (v), and simultaneously placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to significant threats from geopolitical, social, and cultural changes that risk irreparable harm to the site's authenticity and integrity. In particular, the construction of the Israeli separation wall poses a severe threat by isolating local farmers from the fields they have cultivated for centuries.

The site's outstanding universal value is manifested in the dry-stone terraces' architecture, exemplifying the cultural landscape's evolution near water sources and the transformation of rugged land into productive agricultural fields. The traditional irrigation system of these terraces is evidence of the development of unique agricultural technological expertise, which has shaped and become an integral part of the cultural landscape of this region. The strategic location of the site along historical routes and springs attracted human settlement, allowing people to adapt to the rugged natural slopes and convert them into agricultural lands.

These terraces represent a distinctive model of land use and reflect a rich culture that illustrates human interaction with nature over millennia. This is evident through the practice of traditional agricultural activities and methods, one of the oldest known farming techniques that influenced the formation of the unique cultural landscape and provided a crucial livelihood source for the local community.

 

 

 

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