Tour of Masada, Dead Sea, Ein Gedi and Q'umran
February 13, 2006
Today our class travelled to the Dead Sea area, so called because its water is so salty that nothing lives in the water. The salt content is somewhere around 30% because it is the lowest place of the face of the earth, approximately 900 metres below sea level. Minerals of many sorts drain into the Dead Sea which has no outlet thus increasing the mineral and salt content.
Along the south western shore of the Dead Sea you will find the Masada fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The plateau of Masad is located on the eastern fringe of the
Judean Desert near trose he shore of the Dead Sea. It is a mountain block that and was detached from the fault escarpment in the Great Rift Valley running from Africa northward to Turkey. The top of Masada sits 450 metres above the level of the Dead Sea. It is 650 metres long and 300 metres wide. Masada’s remote location and its natural defences were the advantages that transformed it into a fortress during the second Temple period, the first centuries BC and AD.
Masada was the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans: its eventual fall signalled the violent destruction of the kingdom of Judea at the end of the second temple period. The tragic events of the last days of the rebels at Masada transformed it into both a Jewish icon and a symbol of humanity’s continuous struggle for freedom from oppression.
Built by King Herod, Masada was a palatial fortress. The camps, fortifications, and the assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.
It was simply amazing to stand on the top of this ancient fortress and view the surrounding land below and imagine 7,000 and more Roman troops working to overtake the fortress for a period of two years from the rebel Jews who had surprised and ousted a Roman garrison during the Jewish revolt that swept the region. You can read much more about Masada by "googling" Masada on the internet.
Have you swam in the ocean? Imagine water that is four times saltier! That is the Dead Sea. Don’t swallow the water. In fact, don’t even put your face in the water. You might even consider not shaving the day you go to the Dead Sea because it will sting. Today was a beautiful day. I was fortunate enough to swim at Ein Gedi and be in shorts and short sleeves all afternoon. No snow here!
Moving north along the western shore we come to Q’umran National Park. It is thought that a splinter group of Judaism known as the Essenes lived at Q’uran in the wilderness for about 200 years beginning at the end of the second century BC to enjoy contemplation, study and to find peace away from the persecution found in the populated areas. One hundred years after the life of Jesus the Essenes we
re driven out permanently due to an earthquake and the Romans.
What made Q’umran famous was the discovery by two young Bedoin boys of ancient scrolls stored for nearly 2,000 years in a cave. The scrolls contain books of the Old Testament and other writings of spiritual value. Some of the scrolls are on display today in the Museum of Israel in Jerusalem. The scrolls have been heavily protected and controlled since their discovery and much research has been conducted in examining the writings.
Today our class travelled to the Dead Sea area, so called because its water is so salty that nothing lives in the water. The salt content is somewhere around 30% because it is the lowest place of the face of the earth, approximately 900 metres below sea level. Minerals of many sorts drain into the Dead Sea which has no outlet thus increasing the mineral and salt content.
Along the south western shore of the Dead Sea you will find the Masada fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The plateau of Masad is located on the eastern fringe of the
Judean Desert near trose he shore of the Dead Sea. It is a mountain block that and was detached from the fault escarpment in the Great Rift Valley running from Africa northward to Turkey. The top of Masada sits 450 metres above the level of the Dead Sea. It is 650 metres long and 300 metres wide. Masada’s remote location and its natural defences were the advantages that transformed it into a fortress during the second Temple period, the first centuries BC and AD.Masada was the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans: its eventual fall signalled the violent destruction of the kingdom of Judea at the end of the second temple period. The tragic events of the last days of the rebels at Masada transformed it into both a Jewish icon and a symbol of humanity’s continuous struggle for freedom from oppression.
Built by King Herod, Masada was a palatial fortress. The camps, fortifications, and the assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.
It was simply amazing to stand on the top of this ancient fortress and view the surrounding land below and imagine 7,000 and more Roman troops working to overtake the fortress for a period of two years from the rebel Jews who had surprised and ousted a Roman garrison during the Jewish revolt that swept the region. You can read much more about Masada by "googling" Masada on the internet.
Have you swam in the ocean? Imagine water that is four times saltier! That is the Dead Sea. Don’t swallow the water. In fact, don’t even put your face in the water. You might even consider not shaving the day you go to the Dead Sea because it will sting. Today was a beautiful day. I was fortunate enough to swim at Ein Gedi and be in shorts and short sleeves all afternoon. No snow here!
Moving north along the western shore we come to Q’umran National Park. It is thought that a splinter group of Judaism known as the Essenes lived at Q’uran in the wilderness for about 200 years beginning at the end of the second century BC to enjoy contemplation, study and to find peace away from the persecution found in the populated areas. One hundred years after the life of Jesus the Essenes we
re driven out permanently due to an earthquake and the Romans.What made Q’umran famous was the discovery by two young Bedoin boys of ancient scrolls stored for nearly 2,000 years in a cave. The scrolls contain books of the Old Testament and other writings of spiritual value. Some of the scrolls are on display today in the Museum of Israel in Jerusalem. The scrolls have been heavily protected and controlled since their discovery and much research has been conducted in examining the writings.
posted by Philip | 1:41 p.m.
1 Comments:
Hi Hillary:
Don't speak too soon. I was swimming on Monday, and now there are predictions of snow for Thursday. Brrrr!
Rev. Phil
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