Camel Caravans and Current Events

The social influence of the caravans. In ancient times as well as today, in large sections of the Orient, the caravans take the place of newspaper, telephone, and radio. Ordinarily, the knowledge of what was going on was limited on the part of the women to what they heard at the village oven, or the village well; and on the part of the men, to what they heard at the village guest room, or at the gates of the city. But when a caravan arrived in the village, it was an event of great importance, because there was always news brought from a distance.15 The familiar proverb must have referred to such an event: "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country" (Proverbs 25:25). [Manners And Customs of Bible Lands]