Caravans and Bedouin tribes trekked from land to land, picking up spices, techniques, and tastes which they spread to other lands. We finish our meal with a handful of dates, harvested by Abdullah's father in Bawiti. Indeed, date palms are true trees of life, edibly and figuratively. Pharoahs' tombs, columns, and pictures of certain gods depict date palm leaves as emblems of longevity. From ancient past to the present, leaves have been made into sandals, baskets, rope, roofs, and bricks.
Date trees provide lumber, furniture and fuel.
Pyramid workers were paid in dates, which were also used to sweeten beer and make wine. Today's dates are made into vinegar, sweet pickles and chutneys, baked goods and pastes, and the seeds are roasted as snacks. In the arid desert where fresh foods can be hard to come by, the mineral-packed, nutritious date is truly a god's gift. In fact, holy books of the Moslems, Christians and Jews all celebrate the date in various passages. As we warm ourselves on the shore by a campfire, Abdullah tells us date stories.