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The Fremen Squat

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Stillsuit Concept Art from Dune (2021)

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Petra & Fremen Sietches

Hi Fellow Dune Fans!

Let's talk about Inspirations for Fremeni Worldbuilding!

ㅤㅤㅤSo I believe it is reasonably well known that the Fremen People were inspired -- in part, at least -- by the Arab Bedouins. And some of the structures we see in Dune 2 bear striking resemblance to an ancient Bedouin city named Petra, which was carved out of the mountains in Jordan. This is because parts of the movie were actually filmed at the cultural center there!

ㅤㅤㅤPetra was built in the 4th Century B.C.E. by a subset of Bedouins called the Nabataeans, who were a nomadic people that gained extensive wealth by trading spices (uh huh, yeah, exactly). This wealth made them increasingly appealing targets to their enemies, so the Nabataeans decided to settle in the mountainous regions of Jordan and eventually carved a whole city of out of the sandstone cliffs. Everything from monuments and tombs to multi-room houses were hand carved from the rock, then covered with stucco and painted in bright colors. The city follows the natural curve of the Siq, a narrow and winding gorge that lead into Petra's city-center (quite similar to the natural crevice that leads to the entrance of the Fremen Sietch in the film).

ㅤㅤㅤPetra was significant for so many reason, but one of its most influential elements (and one of the things about it that inspired Herbert) was its water irrigation system! The city had specifically built rock-cut channels along the Siq to collect as much rain water as possible in the sparse times of year that it actually rained. These channels led to subterranean pipes that funneled all water into underground cisterns, which preserved the water from theft, pollution, and evaporation. Sound familiar?

ㅤㅤㅤBecause of their mastery over water resources in the region, the Nabataeans (and their city) rose to control the flow of trade along most of the Incense Road, which stretched from Southern Arabia through Petra to Gaza. Their access to water was both highly sought after as a respite by those traveling the trade route, and a deterrent for any forces thinking to attack the city. The odds of overcoming a fortified and water-rich place like Petra as an attacker in the desert was… slim.

ㅤㅤㅤIn addition to their water-wealth, Nabataens also grew flush with culture and art as a result of so many worldly traders passing through their city. Petra was designed to align with the path of the sun across the sky, so on certain pivotal times of year, important buildings within the city will have direct sunlight falling on them. The structures were all carved with an evolving combination of influences from other parts of the world, like Egypt, China, and Greece. At the height of its glory under Nabataean rule, Petra was a culture center of the ancient world.

ㅤㅤㅤAll these fascinating elements make me think of Arrakis, and the Fremen Peoples. Of who they might have been before House Harkonnen won the siridar fief of Arrakis and brought both ecological and sociological persecution to the planet. The beautiful structures they might have built, the complex cultural heritage they shared among northern and southern tribes, the innovation of a People who understood their home better than any other. A People who weren't fighting for survival, who could be so much more…

ㅤㅤㅤIn Dune, the water catchbasins are sacred spaces, representing both the sacrifices and hopes of an entire People. The elaborate nature of these holy places cannot be overstated, and the sheer ingenuity of Fremeni methods for prosperity deserves recognition beyond how it stymied the endeavors of a bloodthirsty race of slavers and thieves.