THE TERRACE FARMING IN ARMENIAN CULTURE. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS

Abstract

  Terrace farming is one of the most important phenomena of Armenian culture. The function of agricultural terraces is to prevent soil erosion. Thanks to them, are appropriated the steep slopes of the mountains. Terracing is important to manage water flow, slowing runoff. This article, on the example of Armenian culture, focuses on issues оф various phenomena of terracing, their creation and typology. In Armenian highlands, agricultural terraces are distributed in various regions and at different heights. Terraced farming is typical for many regions of Armenia, for example, Syunik, Vayots Dzor, Javakhk, Arabkir, Akn, Zeytun, Achn, Ardvin, Musaler, etc. In areas where terraced farming is developed, there are also settlements with terraced buildings. In such settlements, the roof of one house is the courtyard of another.   
          The agricultural terraces are two types, horticultural terraces and tillage terraces. The horticultural terraces have breast-wall from stone, which needs to be repaired from time to time. In some ethnographic works, horticultural terraces are presented as productive plots of land. They had several important advantages. Thanks to the retaining walls, the soil received additional heat from the sun. The retaining walls acted as a barrier for water and the microelements it contained, enriching the soil. The tillage terraces were created over time in virtue of a special way of plowing. In the plot, each furrow is made from the same edge. Having made one furrow, the plow is returned to the same edge and the next furrow is made. The soil embankment was used as a breast wall for them.