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Hydro-Geoheritage and Paleo-Cultural Footprints Associated with the Socio-Economic Coherence for a Potential Jericho Geopark

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Abstract

The image of the potential Jericho Geopark is defined by its natural components, including its geologically complex springs and karst wadi cliffs, as well as its manmade components of ancient aqueducts and dams, and integration of this ancient infrastructure into modern water management systems. The quality and quantity of spring water and the surrounding karstic geology in the area have impacted the lives of the areas’ inhabitants from past to present. The cultural and socio-economic significance of ancient water systems within the potential Jericho Geopark were studied according to their printed history and modern reflections in water management infrastructure, traditions, and values. The paper emphasizes the interlinkage with community and Palestinian identity that is affected by the hydro-Geoheritage of local springs. Spring water management and traditional water laws imprinted in the past continue into the present day. The relationship between water management and modern-day water traditions around the Jericho Geopark springs speak to the interconnectedness of Palestinian identity and the hydrogeological elements of the potential Jericho Geopark.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Dr. Anne Dare, and her Middle East region water expertise, for editing the manuscript.

Funding

Financial support was provided by the UNESCO IGCP-730 Project “Hydrogeological significance of Mediterranean Geoparks” (https://en.unesco.org/international-geoscience-programme/projects/730).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geography Dep., Birzeit University, Ramallah, Palestine

    Marwan Ghanem

  2. Centro Nacional Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IGME-CSIC), Ríos Rosas 23, 28003, Madrid, Spain

    África de la Hera-Portillo

  3. Water, Energy and Environment Center, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

    Alsharifa Hind Mohammad

  4. Earth Sciences Dept., Faculty of Sciences Semlalia of Marrakech, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco

    Noreddine Laftouhi

Authors
  1. Marwan Ghanem
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  2. África de la Hera-Portillo
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  3. Alsharifa Hind Mohammad
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  4. Noreddine Laftouhi
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Contributions

The study was designed by MG and the fieldwork was carried out by MG. The study structure was performed by HM, AP, and NL. The results were analyzed by MG and performed by MG, AP, and HM. The manuscript was written by MG and edited by AP and all authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marwan Ghanem.

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This is to declare that the manuscript is original and the work has not submitted to any other journals.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Ghanem, M., de la Hera-Portillo, Á., Mohammad, A.H. et al. Hydro-Geoheritage and Paleo-Cultural Footprints Associated with the Socio-Economic Coherence for a Potential Jericho Geopark. Geoheritage 15, 100 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-023-00868-z

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