Topic summary
Watermelons
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Watermelon.
History
Watermelons were originally cultivated for their high water content and stored to be eaten during dry seasons, as a source of both food and water. The modern watermelon was first domesticated in Sudan. Kordofan melons from Sudan are the closest relatives and may be progenitors of modern, cultivated watermelons. Watermelon seeds were found in the Dead Sea region at the ancient settlements of Bab edh-Dhra and Tel Arad.