But the date palm is not just a nutritional marvel, a yummy snack or a cultural phenomenon. It is also a historical and agricultural singularity. The palm tree has a long history in the Arabian Peninsula. Evidence has been found in the AlUla oasis which indicates that humans have cultivated crops there – among which dates– since around 4,600 BCE.
The fertile volcanic soil and the availability of water –springs and wells– gave the local population the possibility to grow crops, among which date palms.
The importance of the date palms is also reflected in inscriptions found in the ancient kingdom of Dadan, whose capital city was here in AlUla, particularly amongst the rock formations of Jabal Ikmah. Dadan apparently was an important religious centre during the first millennium BCE, where the most important deity worshipped was Dhu Ghabbat.Some of the inscriptions found at Jabal Ikmah include references to ceremonies or offerings to this deity, for instance those asking for protection or success of crops and agriculture.
Necklaces made from dates were discovered during excavations of ancient tombs at the site of Hegra – Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site that once was a vibrant city inhabited by the enterprising Nabateans. These necklaces highlight just how important dates were to the civilisations who built those famous tombs.