Ancient Terraces, New Vineyards: Judean Hills Farmers Revive a Biblical Landscape

by | Jul 2, 2026 | News

a garden with purple flowers

On the slopes surrounding Jerusalem, a quiet agricultural revival is reshaping hillsides that have stood mostly bare for generations. Farmers and land restoration groups are rebuilding stone terraces first carved into these slopes thousands of years ago, planting vineyards and olive groves along the same contours described in ancient texts.

The terraces once allowed farming on land too steep for conventional cultivation, trapping soil and rainwater on narrow shelves cut into the hillside. Many collapsed or were abandoned over centuries of shifting settlement patterns, leaving crumbling stone walls scattered across the Judean landscape. Restoration crews, often working with volunteers, are now resetting the stones by hand, following building techniques passed down through generations of local masons.

The revived terraces serve more than a symbolic purpose. Wine growers say the same qualities that made these slopes attractive to ancient farmers, cool nights, rocky soil, and steady sun exposure, produce grapes well suited to modern boutique winemaking. Small vineyards have begun selling bottles that trace their fruit directly to specific restored terraces, marketing the deep historical roots alongside the wine itself.

Beyond agriculture, the project has become a draw for hikers and school groups exploring the hills just beyond the city’s edge. Trail markers now guide visitors past centuries old stone walls returned to active use, offering a rare chance to see a biblical era landscape functioning again rather than preserved only as a ruin.

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