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OASIS (Gr. &toss, the name given by H...

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Originally appearing in Volume V19, Page 937 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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OASIS (Gr. &toss, the name given by See also:Herodotus to the fertile spots in the Libyan See also:desert: it probably represents an See also:Egyptian word, cf. Coptic ouahe, ouih, to dwell, from which the Egyptian Arabic sod is derived)  , a fertile spot surrounded by See also:desert . For example, where the high See also:plateau of the Libyan desert descends into a See also:longitudinal valley between Syrtis and the See also:Nile See also:delta there are a few spots where the See also:water comes to the See also:surface or is found in shallow See also:wells . It may come to the surface in springs, upon the artesian principle, or it may collect and remain in See also:mountain hollows . These areas are of small extent and are closely cultivated, and support thick forests of date-palms . All kinds of tropical vegetables, grains and small fruits grow under cultivation, and See also:land- is so See also:precious in these limited areas of See also:great richness and fertility that very narrow pathways See also:divide each owner's See also:plot from his See also:neighbour's . Wherever oases are found they See also:present similar features, and are naturally the halting-places and points of departure of desert caravans .

End of Article: OASIS (Gr. &toss, the name given by Herodotus to the fertile spots in the Libyan desert: it probably represents an Egyptian word, cf. Coptic ouahe, ouih, to dwell, from which the Egyptian Arabic sod is derived)
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