People in Deserts

Abstract

Deserts were in ancient times the basis of human civilization e.g. in Mesopotamia. Humankind in Central Asia from the earliest days resourcefully developed sophisticated ways of coping with the extreme conditions. The chapter explains how and where people lived: they learned to irrigate lands; they stored food, bred cattle (sheep, camels etc.), and built living quarters suitable for weather extremes. Modern technology has helped create desertification, but also provided new methods of coping with the environment. Science based practices must be used to maximize conservation while developing the resources of the desert.