Lectures:

Bergen Oct 10-13, 2005 :

Mon Oct 10: Local level water managemet and the progress of civilizations in the Ancient Near East

Christopher J. Eyre (1995) The Agricultural Cycle, Farming, and Water Management in The Ancient Near East. in: Civilizations of The Ancient Near East. Jack M. Sasson, ed London: Hendrickson Publisher. Pp 175-189.

Oystein S. LaBianca (2005) Local level water management and the progress of civilizations in the Ancient Near East. Forthcoming article. osl

Wed Oct 12: Water resources management and the Islamic Great Tradition

Lancaster, William and Fidelity (1999). People, Land and Water in the Arab Middle East: Environment and Landscapes in the Bilâd ash-Shâm. Harwood Academic Publishers: Australia

Naser L. Faruqui, Asit K.Biswas, and Murad J. Bino, eds. Water Management in Islam. United Nations University Press: Toyko and New York.


Thu Oct 13: Valuing local knowledge and practices in development strategies for water retention: Case study of Project Rainkeep in Jordan

LaBianca, Oystein (1994) Project Rainkeep: A Plan for Increasing On-Site Retention and Utilization of Rainwater in Jordan.

LaBianca, Oystein (1995). On-Site Water Retention Strategies: Solutions from the Past for Dealing with Jordan’s Present Water Crisis. Published by the Department of Antiquities, PO Box 88, Amman, Jordan.

• Seminar on Nature, Water and Society
  October 4 - 7, 2004




Overall Theme: " Global History and the Interaction of Great and Little Traditions in Shaping Water control and use"

Oct 4, Monday
Lecture 1
"Great and little Traditions of 'Hydraulic Civilizations': Egypt and Mespotamia".

Suggested Reading: 1995 - Christopher J. Eyre The Agricultural Cycle, Farming, and Water Management in The Ancient Near East. in: Civilizations of The Ancient Near East. Jack M. Sasson, ed London: Hendrickson Publisher. Pp 175-189.

 

Oct 5, Tuesday
Lecture 2
"Great and Little Traditions of 'Arid Zone Civilizations':The Southern Levant and the Fertile Crescent".

Suggested Reading: 1995 - Øystein S. LaBianca and Randall W. Younker The Kingdoms of Ammon, Moab, And Edom: The Archaeology of Society in Late Bronze/Iron Age Transjordan (ca. 1400-500 BCE) . In: The Archaeology of Society in the Holy Land. Thomas E. Levy, ed. London: Leicester University Press. Pp 398-415.

 

Oct 6, Wednesday
Lecture 3
"Relevance of Past Traditions for Present Practice: Blending Indigenous and Expert Knowledge in Planning Water Related Development Projects".

Suggested Reading: 1995- Øystein S. LaBianca On-Site Water Retention Strategies: Soluitons from the past for Dealing with Jordan's Present Water Crisis. In: Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan, Volume V. Ghazi Bisheh, ed. Amman, Jordan: Department of Antiquities.

 

Oct 7, Thursday
Discussion:
Time for more in-depth critique and follow up of topics and issues raised in previous lectures