What was dead about the dead sea

He escaped without injury. The assailants were eventually captured. Created by the same shift of tectonic plates that formed the Syrian-African Rift Valley several million years ago, the Dead Sea owes its precarious state to both human and geological factors.

Originally part of an ancient, much larger lake that extended to the Sea of Galilee, its outlet to the sea evaporated some 18, years ago, leaving a salty residue in a desert basin at the lowest point on earth—1, feet below sea level. Since then, this body of water, known as the Dead Sea since Greco-Roman times, has maintained its equilibrium through a fragile natural cycle: it gets fresh water from rivers and streams from the mountains that surround it and loses it by evaporation.

Until the s, the flow of fresh water equaled the rate of evaporation, and Dead Sea water levels held steady. Since then, the Dead Sea has declined dramatically. It needs an infusion of billion gallons of water annually to maintain its current size; it gets barely 10 percent of that.

Some 50 miles long in , the sea is about 30 miles long today. Water levels are falling at an average rate of three feet per year. According to a recent Israeli government study, the rate of evaporation will slow and the Dead Sea will reach equilibrium again in a few decades—but not before losing another third of its present volume.

Such a scenario represents an immeasurable loss. A refuge over the millennia for messiahs, martyrs and zealots, the Dead Sea region abounds with sites sacred to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Some Muslims believe that Moses, whom they regard as a prophet, lies buried in a hilltop mosque just off the main road from Jerusalem. At the fortress of Masada, nearly 1, Israelites committed suicide en masse in A. In , Bedouin shepherds, searching for a stray goat in the Judean Desert, entered a cave at Qumran near the north shore of the lake and discovered clay jars containing 2,year-old scripture written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic—the Dead Sea scrolls.

Fed by fresh water springs and aquifers, a half-dozen oases along the shore harbor scores of indigenous species of plants, fish and mammals, including ibex and leopards. About million birds representing at least species, including storks, pelicans, lesser spotted eagles, lesser kestrels and honey buzzards, take refuge here during a biannual great migration from Africa to Europe and back again. If you really want to get deep into the geology and science behind the formation of the Dead Sea, read more on the Dead Sea at Wikipedia.

Username or Email Address. Remember Me. Lost your password? What is the Dead Sea? Hen September 18, Table of contents: What is the Dead Sea? Where is the Dead Sea located? Is the Dead Sea Mentioned in the Bible? What lives in the Dead Sea? Why is the Dead Sea so salty? Why do you float in the Dead Sea? Is it safe to swim in the Dead Sea? What is so special about the Dead Sea?

How was the Dead Sea formed? What river feeds the Dead Sea? What does the Dead Sea look like? What are the size, length, and depth of the Dead Sea? In which country is the Dead Sea located?

In which city is it located? What is the elevation of the Dead Sea? Is the Dead Sea the lowest place on earth? Is the Dead Sea drying up? Why is the Dead Sea called the Dead Sea? Why do they call it the Dead Sea? What is the meaning of Dead Sea? What minerals are in the Dead Sea?

Dead Sea mud benefits Those visiting the Dead Sea may witness groups of people on the beach, slathering their faces and bodies with mud. Dead Sea Hotels Most of the Dead Sea is unpopulated, but visitors can find a variety of accommodations at different price levels, on the north and southern shores — from campgrounds to five-star hotels.

Dead Sea Tourism Its unique location, its healing properties, its geological and historical background, and its surrounding ecosystem makes the Dead Sea itself an irresistible venue for tourists in the area.

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For more than one recipient, type addresses separated by commas. Credit: iStock. This is because water flows into the Dead Sea from one main tributary, the River Jordan. It then has no way to get out of the lake and so is forced to evaporate. The soaring hot and dry conditions of this region mean that large quantities of water are evaporated.

This leads to the salt and other minerals becoming more and more concentrated. The high salt and mineral content of the Dead Sea mean that this body of water has powerful healing properties. The Dead Sea is therefore the biggest free spa on Earth, drawing both tourists and locals alike. Its healing waters have been sought after even since Biblical times.

According to legend, Cleopatra also loved the Dead Sea and used its products as part of her beauty regime. Alongside being incredibly salty, the Dead Sea is famous for being the lowest point on Earth.

Its surface measures around metres below sea level.