Introduction:
With its high mineral and salt content, the Dead Sea is known as a place of healing. It is visited by thousands each year seeking spa treatments, therapies, and relaxation. According to Islamic tradition, however, it also stands as a sign of God’s punishment.
Location and Features:
The Dead Sea is the lowest surface on Earth, at 400 meters below sea level. It is located in the Middle East, bordered by Jordan, the West Bank, and Israel. It is more of a lake than a “sea,” fed by the Jordan River. The fresh water evaporates, however, leaving a salt concentration which is seven times stronger than that of the ocean. Beyond tiny microbes, no life can survive in the water.
The salt and minerals of the Dead Sea have long been believed to have healing properties. They are often used in soaps and cosmetics, and several high-class spas have sprung up along the shores of the Dead Sea to cater to tourists.
Facts
- At 417 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the Earth’s surface.
- It is the world’s saltiest large water body, with a salinity of 3000 mg/l.
- The Dead Sea isn’t called dead for nothing. The reason it has been labelled the ‘Dead’ Sea is that as a result of its high concentration of salt almost no organic life is able to survive, although bacteria and microbial fungi are present. So sorry folks, the fishing hole is closed.
- Remember that picture of the tourist floating on the water? That’s no miracle, people can actually float effortlessly on the surface of the Dead Sea! This occurs because the extremely high concentration of dissolved mineral salts in the sea increases its density to a level not seen in fresh water. Since the sea water is so unusually dense, and humans are much less dense, they become more buoyant, and are able to float easily.
- The name of the peninsula that juts out into the southern end of the Dead Sea is Al-Lisan, which means ‘tongue’ in Arabic.
- Some geologists believe that according to the account given in the Old Testament, the sin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located on or near the Al-Lisan peninsula in the Dead Sea, and rather than God’s wrath for their sinful ways, they were more likely ruined by saturated soil and highly flammable bitumen. And what about Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt? Geologists put forth the idea that if she did turn into a pillar of salt it is because of the briny nature of the Dead Sea, however, it is more likely a result of salt floes resembling a female figure being thrown up by surging water.
- The Dead Sea is a terminal lake with no outlet, meaning water can only leave through evaporation. Water from the Jordan and its tributaries flow into the Dead Sea bringing with them all sorts of minerals, including salt. Since there is no outlet, the water in the Dead Sea evaporates depositing the dissolved minerals, and since it has no place to go, the dissolved salt minerals continue to accumulate and be concentrated in the sea. This is a basic explanation of why the Dead Sea has such a high concentration of salt.
- Over the years, climatic changes have caused great fluctuation in the water level of the Dead Sea. This enables geologists to use the Dead Sea as a recorder of the paleoclimate of the Middle East.
- On a sidenote, the Dead Sea has not only been significant geologically, but also in the area of religion. In 1947 young shepherds, while searching for a stray goat, discovered jars filled with scrolls in a cave near the site of the Qumran ruins. The scrolls are dated from the third century B.C.E. to 68 C.E., and predate any other surviving biblical manuscript by a thousand years. They include fragments of all the Hebrew books except Esther, as well as prophecies by Ezekial, Jeremiah, and Daniel not found in the Hebrew scriptures.
- The Dead Sea is considered to be the world’s largest ‘natural spa’. The high concentration of minerals and thermo-mineral springs along the shore are said to impart a relaxed feeling, nourish the skin, and ease rheumatic discomfort. Many visitors to the Dead Sea have been known to cake themselves in the black mud for its therapeutic benefits. Even the Jewish Talmud advertises that a dip in the Dead Sea is good for your health!
- It has been mentioned that the shores of the Dead Sea are the lowest point of dry land on Earth, and they just keep getting lower! As a result of damming and diverting of water, the Jordan River contributes 10% less water to the Dead Sea, allowing the shorelines to drop one meter annually in an area already dry and arid. The solution: an $800 million pipeline to draw water from the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. The goal of the pipeline project is to refill the Dead Sea and desalinate the water for human use.
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