Podcast: Proof that Nabateans’ trade empire collapsed due to ancient epidemic
In an in-depth interview with expert archaeologist Tali Erickson-Gini, we hear that he who controls the spice (or garum and wine) controls the ancient world
Welcome to Times Will Tell, a weekly podcast from The Times of Israel.
This week we’re speaking with the Israel Antiquities Authority’s senior researcher Dr. Tali Erickson-Gini about the Nabateans’ Incense Road, today a World Heritage Site.
We’ll talk about the fall of the Nabatean trade route — possibly due to an epidemic — and other precious commodities in the ancient Holy Land including how globalization influenced antiquity.
For over 20 years, Erickson-Gini was the IAA’s Southern Negev sub-district archaeologist and she has conducted numerous archaeological excavations and surveys in many parts of the Negev — and even Petra in Jordan.
In 2019, Erickson-Gini excavated in a large area south of Ashkelon’s Agamim neighborhood, where she discovered evidence of wine and garum production from 2000 years ago. We’ll talk about how an epidemic may have ended that, too.
Erickson-Gini is also an adjunct lecturer at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. If you ever have a chance to hear her speak, it’s a thrill.
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