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Human use of palms is as old or older than human civilization itself, starting with the cultivation of the [[Date Palm]] by [[Mesopotamia]]ns and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago.[http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0681E/t0681e02.htm] Date wood, pits for storing dates, and other remains of the Date Palm have been found in Mesopotamian sites.<ref name="datesex">[http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/Exp_Rese_Disc/NearEast/datesex.shtml Date Sex @ University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology]</ref>The Date Palm had a tremendous effect on the history of the Middle East.  W.H. Barreveld wrote:

Human use of palms is as old or older than human civilization itself, starting with the cultivation of the [[Date Palm]] by [[Mesopotamia]]ns and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago.[http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0681E/t0681e02.htm] Date wood, pits for storing dates, and other remains of the Date Palm have been found in Mesopotamian sites.<ref name="datesex">[http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/Exp_Rese_Disc/NearEast/datesex.shtml Date Sex @ University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology]</ref>The Date Palm had a tremendous effect on the history of the Middle East.  W.H. Barreveld wrote:

:"One could go as far as to say that, had the date palm not existed, the expansion of the human race into the hot and barren parts of the "old" world would have been much more restricted. The date palm not only provided a concentrated energy food, which could be easily

:"One could go as far as to say that, had the date palm not existed, the expansion of the human race into the hot and barren parts of the "old" world would have been much more restricted. The date palm not only provided a concentrated energy food, which could be easily stored and carried along on long journeys across the deserts, it also created a more amenable habitat for the people to live in by providing shade and protection from the desert winds (Fig. 1). In addition, the date palm also yielded a variety of products for use in agricultural production and for domestic utensils, and practically all parts of the palm had a useful purpose."[http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0681E/t0681e02.htm]   

stored and carried along on long journeys across the deserts, it also created a more amenable habitat for the people to live in by providing shade and protection from the desert winds (Fig. 1). In addition, the date palm also yielded a variety of products for use in agricultural production and for domestic utensils, and practically all parts of the palm had a useful purpose."[http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0681E/t0681e02.htm]   

An indication of the importance of Palms is that they are mentioned more than 30 times in the [[Bible]]<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=palm+-hand&searchtype=all&version1=31&spanbegin=1&spanend=73 Bible search for "palm"]</ref>, and at least 22 times in the [[Koran]].<ref>[http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/k/koran/koran-idx?type=simple&q1=palm&size=First+100 Koran search for "palm"]</ref>   

An indication of the importance of Palms is that they are mentioned more than 30 times in the [[Bible]]<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=palm+-hand&searchtype=all&version1=31&spanbegin=1&spanend=73 Bible search for "palm"]</ref>, and at least 22 times in the [[Koran]].<ref>[http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/k/koran/koran-idx?type=simple&q1=palm&size=First+100 Koran search for "palm"]</ref>