A large number of isolated farmhouses, dated to the Byzantine – Abbasid period was discovered in archaeological excavations to the north of Beersheba, in the rural hinterland of the ancient city. In the last decade, dozens of similar structures were exposed, following the intensive modern development of the region. The farmhouses vary from small single-room “watch towers” to large and complex households.
The archaeological studies are showing a significant decline in urban life in the large Negev settlements, followed by true agricultural boom starting from the Late Byzantine period, and increasing during the Early Islamic period. Possibly, the appeal of the countryside can be related to the interest of the new ruling class in developing the agricultural estates.
The proposed paper will discuss constructive characteristics of the farmhouses, the settlement patterns of continuity and discontinuity, demographics and social changes in the region during the period of Byzantine – Islamic transition.
