PALM DATES IN IRAQ DURING THE LATE OTTOMAN ERA (1858-1914)

Abstract

Dates have a long history in Iraq and are one of the most beneficial fruits. The region’s environmental characteristics have helped it become a major center for producing some of the world’s highest-quality date varieties. The local people have benefited from this tree and its products in many ways: Its fruit has been an important source of food for humans and has played a key role in ensuring food security for the population. Its trunks were used in the construction of foundations, columns, and household items. Its leaves and fibers are used to make straw, baskets, ropes, and other things. Even the seeds were not thrown away, but were used to plant new trees and to produce animal feed. With the development of trade and transportation in the late Ottoman period, dates became the main export product of the Iraqi provinces and were exported to India, Europe, and the United States. Thus, dates became an important source of income for orchard owners and poor people working in the fields, transportation, and export in the region. This article aims to present accurate information on the subject within six thematic frameworks, based on original sources obtained from Ottoman archives, records, newspapers, and travelogues. This article explains the role of dates in the daily social and economic life of the Iraqi provinces during the late Ottoman period.