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DIL.MUN

the case of the date incubator tcchnique: only Oman is currently continuing the construction
of such incubators, while the honey which one can sonctines obtin in Bahrain alw:ays
comes fronm the arbala factory in Iraq, a country where this product, which is still widcly
uscd, sccms to be produced yb‫ﺍ‬industrial manufacture only.

But it is in the archacological ficld dcaling with the proto-history nd history of the
Middle E:٨st a١d in particular with Iraq, that the discovery of the Bahrain and Onan
incubators can introduce new clenments. Thc ١cthods of proccssing the dttes wcre ٦o doubt
put into practice in a period earlier than the first texts which mction thenm, soon after the
star١ of date-palnm cuitivation, if only to assist in prcscrving the harvest and increase the
culinary possibilities of this fruit. There ought to be traces of these tcchiques, particularly
for the production of honey: channels, pierccd jars or other installations. Now it does not
ccn as though such indicators have been recognised in ccavation so far, whatevcr the‫؟‬
period of the site nder consideration, Ccrtainly thcre are few excavations of habitats but
ncither the sites of Diyala, Tell Asmar, hafadjcl, nor Ur, nor the Palestinian or Egyptian
sites have yielded any, Perhaps thc light and transient charactcr of these installations has
somcthing to do with it, the channcls themsclves are made only of moulded earth and
covered with a simple coating. The discovery of such installations on sites other than those
dcscribed here will certainly make an impact on the study of agricultuarl techniques.

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