Lena Sieder-Semlitsch
Vika Prokopaviciute
Joakim Martinussen
Ania Shestakova
curated by Ania Shestakova
“The word oasis comes into English via Latin: oasis from Ancient Greek: ????? óasis, which in turn is a direct borrowing from Demotic Egyptian. The word for oasis in the later attested Coptic language (the descendant of Demotic Egyptian) is wahe or ouahe which means a ‘dwelling place’.
People who live in an oasis must manage land and water use carefully; fields must be irrigated to grow plants like dates, figs, olives, and apricots. The most important plant in an oasis is the date palm, which forms the upper layer. These palm trees provide shade for smaller trees like peach trees, which form the middle layer. By growing plants in different layers, the farmers make best use of the soil and water. Many vegetables are also grown and some cereals, such as wheat, barley and millet, are grown where there is more moisture.”