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5
Sacred Trees and Enclosed Gardens
More than any other domesticated tree in the Near East, date palms evoke a sense of
majesty, awe, and reverence. At noon, their symmetrically radiating leaves provide cooling
shelter from the harsh summer sun. Because of their preference for wet soils— along river
banks and in desert oases— their appearance on the horizon signals the presence of water to
the thirsty traveler. At night, their tall trunks ascend to the stars, forming a symbolic bridge
between heaven and earth. Every part of the tree is useful, seeds, leaves, trunk, roots, and
even its sap, from which a fermented drink can be prepared. But the date palm’s primary
value, for which it is so justly esteemed, lies in the sticky- sweet, nutrient- packed fruits that
hang in heavy clusters from its stately crown.
Date palms probably first came under cultivation during the Late Neolithic Period. By
the second millennium bce, Babylonians had not only recognized the phenomenon of dioe-
cism (male and female individuals) in date palms, they had established laws governing the
practice of artificial pollination.
Arboriculture represents the second major wave of the agricultural revolution, which
helped to sustain the growth and wealth of the great urban centers. Many species of cul-
tivated trees came to be regarded as sacred, but of all the sacred trees of the Near East, the
date palm was the most celebrated in art and literature. The Sumerian goddess Inanna was
closely identified with the date palm harvest, and Inanna’s sexuality, perhaps inspired by
the dioecism of palms, became synonymous with agricultural abundance. Accordingly, any
discussion of what people of the Near East knew about sex in plants during the Bronze Age
must begin with the date palm.