Who killed the dead sea. The Dead Sea is dying - its level is falling by more than a meter per year (19 photos). King David found refuge here

The famous Qumran manuscripts (also known as the Dead Sea Scrolls) are fakes, according to the Washington Museum of the Bible, where the artifacts were exhibited. According to a study by experts, at least five of the 16 fragments owned by the institution were created much later than previously thought. At the same time, pieces of ancient parchment may have been used to make them. X-ray scanning and ink analysis were carried out at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Berlin. Scientists were waiting for other results of the examination and, according to the museum’s chief curator Jeffrey Kloch, they were shocked by the result.

After the results were announced, the Bible Museum announced the exclusion of forgeries from the collection. They will no longer be exhibited for public viewing under the guise of 2000-year-old texts. Five manuscripts were replaced by three others "pending further scientific analysis."

Research has shown the falsehood of assumptions about the ancient origin of the scrolls, the museum emphasized.

It is possible that the identified forgeries may be the most significant failure in biblical archeology after the “Gospel of the Wife.” This papyrus fragment was presented as a major sensation in 2012, and was later called a fake.

According to Kipp Davis from Canada's Trinity University, there may be not even five, but seven fake fragments of the Qumran manuscripts.

“My research confirms the high probability of such a development of events,” the scientist emphasized. “Most likely, these are modern fakes, but final conclusions are yet to come.”

The remaining nine fragments are awaiting thorough examination.

The Dead Sea Scrolls have been discovered since 1947 in the caves of Qumran in the West Bank, as well as in other caves, including those located in the Judean Desert, and in Masada. Archaeologists discovered another cave quite recently. It turned out that it had already been looted.

About 200 copies of them were found, mostly small fragments of books of the Old Testament.

In the last twenty years, many relics have appeared on the antiques market, which has raised suspicions among experts about their true origin. By the way, some researchers back in 2017 expressed suspicions about the authenticity of the exhibits in the collections of the Biblical Museum. Washington museum workers also received punishment for publishing descriptions of the scrolls without complete confidence in the originality of the texts.

The fake manuscripts were purchased by the Bible Museum's sponsors, the Green family, from Hobby Lobby Stores Corporation, which declined to disclose the total cost of the purchases. According to scientists, even individual fragments with small text are worth millions of dollars, and, let us remind you, there are 16 of them in the museum’s collection. The Greens did not comment on the information about the five fake whistles.

The corporation already got into trouble last year when it was forced to pay a $3 million fine and hand over thousands of artifacts after illegally exporting cuneiform tablets, clay seals and other Mesopotamian cultural items from Iraq. The process was controlled.

In January of this year, specialists in biblical studies at the University of Haifa one of the scrolls.

It turned out that the fragment was dedicated to the Qumran 364-day calendar. It contained dates not found in the Bible but described in other manuscripts, such as the wine and oil festivals associated with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. It also turned out that the Essenes (one of the Jewish sects that avoided relationships with merchants, studied morality and lived in communities) celebrated the change of seasons with a special celebration at the end of the season. The scroll revealed that these days are referred to by the word “tekufa,” which is translated from Hebrew as “period.”

And in April 2017, scientists received 28 previously unstudied fragments. They were bought from private individuals who claimed that the artifacts previously belonged to the famous antiquities dealer Khalil Iskander Shahin and dated from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD. e.

In addition to the Biblical Museum in Washington, which opened its doors a year ago (its value is estimated at $500 million), the Black Sea Scrolls are presented in the exhibitions of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (nine fragments), Azusa University in California (4) and in a certain institute (15), the administration of which wished to keep its name secret.

The Dead Sea has great historical, geographical and religious significance. The culture of the ancient Egyptians, Jewish and Islamic traditions also contributed to the popularity of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is a unique destination for wellness and spa treatments. On the seashore, tourists love to spend time on the beach. The editors of “I and the World” have prepared for you some exciting facts about the Dead Sea.

1. It is called “dead” because of its high salinity

Due to high salt levels, the Dead Sea lacks fish, plants and large organisms. Hence its name. However, bacteria were found in the craters at the bottom.

2. It's not actually a sea

It is called the Dead Sea, but in fact it is a large salt lake into which the Jordan River flows. Its water does not flow into other lakes, seas or oceans.

3. Its salinity is 9.6 times higher than the salinity of the ocean

Speaking about the salinity of the Dead Sea, we can say that against its background, all the salt of the ocean looks like a drop in a bucket of water. Even though the Jordan River flows into it, this water has nowhere to go. It simply evaporates, which only increases the salinity.

4. This is the lowest place on land

The Dead Sea is 420 meters below sea level. This is the lowest place on land.

5. The climate here is unique

Surrounded by an arid and desert landscape, the Dead Sea enjoys approximately 330 days of sunshine per year. There is low humidity and little precipitation. During the year, the temperature ranges from +15 to +37°C. But what is unique is the fact that this is the only place on Earth where you can sunbathe for a long time without getting sunburned!

6. High salinity allows people to simply relax on the water

If you are not a fan of swimming, then this is for you. The water is so saturated with salt that you can simply lie on it without much effort.

7. People are still drowning in the Dead Sea

This looks a little strange. Although you can easily swim in the sea, you can also drown in it. The Dead Sea has been named the second deadliest swimming spot in Israel. The sea is difficult to navigate, and if you find yourself in a dangerous position, even more difficult. In addition, if you swallow salt water, it can damage your kidneys. You can say that you will be poisoned by too much salt.

8. It’s almost impossible to swim in the Dead Sea

Unlike the fact that you can lie on this water, it is impossible to swim in it. It's like being constantly pinned down by an air mattress.

9. This is the deepest salt lake on Earth

The lowest point of the Dead Sea is at a depth of 701 meters, making it the deepest salt lake on Earth.

10. Ancient Egyptians used it to embalm mummies

The Egyptians had very specific and unique burial rituals. They turned the dead into mummies. One of the substances used for this was asphalt, which was used to embalm the deceased before wrapping him in bandages. The Dead Sea provided the Egyptians with natural asphalt, so they visited here often. By the way, until the end of the 19th century the sea was called... Asphalt!

11. There is a prophecy that it will be unleavened

In the Bible, prophets stated that one day the Dead Sea would become fresh. According to the latest scientific research, pockets of fresh water have opened up at the bottom of the sea. Maybe the prediction is starting to come true?

12. Herod the Great rested here

Herod the Great, who ruled Israel in 40 BC, built a fortress on top of Masada near the Dead Sea. He used it as a resort. It was there that he went when it became dangerous.

13. King David found refuge here

Before David became king of Israel, he constantly ran away from King Saul, whom he challenged. The book of Samuel says that David took refuge in the canyon of Ein Gedi, which is located next to the Dead Sea.

14. The air contains extra oxygen

Thanks to the unique climate, the local air contains more oxygen and bromine, which provides a pleasant, relaxing effect.

15. It's a popular location for health research

Since ancient times, people have believed that swimming in the Dead Sea is good for health. And since then, scientists and doctors have been coming here to study the possibilities of treating skin diseases.

16. This is an archaeological gold mine

In 1947, the shepherd made the most significant archaeological find of the twentieth century - the Qumran manuscripts (Dead Sea Scrolls). It contained well-preserved biblical and non-biblical manuscripts that helped change historical views on religion.

17. It's drying out at an alarming rate.

The Dead Sea is drying up. Research shows that if nothing is done, it will dry out completely within 50 years. To prevent this from happening, Israel and Jordan are cooperating by pumping water from the Red Sea into the lake.

American researchers stated this

Some of the Kurman manuscripts, also known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, may not actually have ancient origins. This statement was made by experts from the Museum of the Bible in Washington. Scientists have doubted the authenticity of 5 of the 16 fragments stored in the collection of this American institution.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are manuscripts discovered since 1947 in caves in an area called Qumran, as well as in its surroundings. It is assumed that some of these scrolls were written by the Kurman community, which existed in the first quarter of the 2nd century BC. Fragments of ancient manuscripts continue to be discovered in Qumran to this day - new such finds were reported, including last year.

The Museum of the Bible in Washington two years ago took part in a study on ancient manuscripts, during which scientists began to have doubts about the authenticity of the manuscripts in their possession. They were caused by the technique of writing texts, as well as the current state of manuscripts.

After this, five of the fragments that aroused suspicion among scientists were transferred to outside specialists for additional research. Experts from the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Germany who carried out the examination used a number of state-of-the-art technologies, including energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence analysis and three-dimensional microscopy. Tests showed that many characteristics of the manuscripts do not allow confirming their ancient origin, and therefore the museum decided not to exhibit them anymore. In the future, the remaining 11 fragments will be studied in a similar way.

Experts note that they had hoped for a different result, but see in the current situation an opportunity to draw attention to the importance of such checks. Museum staff have called on colleagues around the world to take the utmost care to check ancient artifacts so that visitors can be confident that what they are seeing during exhibitions is genuine cultural heritage.

The Dead Sea is a wonderful place where you can not only have a great rest, but also improve your health. People from all over the world come here to look at this unique body of water and enjoy its beauty. In addition, this sea has unusual properties that help people cope with many diseases.

Salt, minerals, clean water and oxygen are the main advantages of a holiday at the Dead Sea. The most beautiful thing is that the water of this sea is so clean and transparent that you can see all the smallest details of the relief down to the very bottom. Such beauty cannot be seen anywhere else. And besides, the landscapes that complement the overall picture of the atmosphere are no less beautiful.

Where is the dead sea

The sea does not occupy a very significant part of the land, but extends across the territory of three countries - Jordan, Palestine and Israel.

Scientists are still arguing about what is the correct name for this body of water? Sea or lake? Many are accustomed to calling it the sea. The lake is about 70 kilometers long and about eighteen kilometers wide.

Climate of the Dead Sea coast

It is worth noting that the temperature on the sea coast stays around 24 degrees almost all the time. Therefore, you can enjoy such a vacation at any time of the year.

What to do at this resort?

Large-scale complexes have been created here for vacationers and tourists, consisting of good hotels, hospitals and spas. Probably, many people know or have heard that medicine in Israel is one of the best, which is why many therapeutic and health-improving procedures are carried out here. Many tourists are simply wildly delighted with the local spa. The effect, as they say, is immediate. Well, on the body))). In general, the Dead Sea Coast is not an iconic beach resort. But despite this, there are a great many tourists and vacationers here.

The highlight of the Dead Sea

The most interesting thing is that swimming in such a sea is almost impossible. This is due to the fact that there is a huge amount of salt. Its concentration and density are so great that you can simply lie on the water without making any movements. In order to swim even a little, you need to make every effort, and turn out and, as it were, spin around yourself. From the outside, these body movements seem strange and funny. But this also has its advantages. Can you imagine what a wonderful charger this is? Almost titanic efforts))).

By the way, even those who can’t swim can have a great time here. Drowning in the Dead Sea is practically impossible, unless someone specifically drowns you. Personally, I really enjoyed lying on the surface of the water and sunbathing, with a magazine in my hands. Several pleasures at the same time - such a pastime is possible only here.

As soon as you enter the sea, you can feel how all the little scratches on your body react to the salt water. The skin begins to tingle and pinch. That is why, if the integrity of the skin is compromised, then such bathing is best avoided. Otherwise you will be able to fully experience the meaning of Vysotsky’s song “Don’t pour salt on my wound, it still hurts.”

You need to be especially careful with your eyes. Try to bathe so that water does not get on the mucous membrane. The eyes immediately begin to burn very strongly, tears run in a stream. Not a pleasant feeling, let me tell you. I was not lucky. I was lying on the water, not touching anyone, but there was a couple nearby with a child of about 8 years old. So this young hooligan took it and splashed some water on my face. Played a prank. I simply experienced a range of indescribable sensations. Surprise, sharp pain in the eyes, watery eyes and wild anger at all the ill-mannered children in the world!

By the way, many scientists argue that such a miracle of nature as the Dead Sea may soon simply disappear from the face of the Earth. Therefore, it is definitely worth visiting right now, so as not to miss the opportunity to see the unique sea and appreciate the charm of the surrounding nature with your own eyes.

Dead Sea beaches

Kalia Beach.

Kalia Beach

This is the oldest beach on the north coast. It boasts its beauty, cleanliness and stunning sea views. The beach is equipped in a modern style, so there are sun loungers, chairs, sun canopies and in general all the amenities you need for a great holiday. There is a cosmetics shop, a water amusement park and fresh water swimming pools on site.
For a fee you can use SPA services. You can even spend the night here by pitching a tent. It's free.

Bianchini beach.

Very well maintained, clean, cozy, with green lawns and grassy islands. In addition, a big advantage is that there is a restaurant on site. Tourists are provided with tents and sleeping bags for an overnight stay near the sea. Bianchini has swimming pools and a treatment center, as well as a wonderful concert hall.

On the coast there are also equally popular and luxurious beaches called Neve Midbar Beach, Eitnot Tsukim, Minaral and others. All of them are designed for a comfortable and great pastime. Equipped with all the necessary attributes of a beach holiday. Entrance to all beaches is paid. For adults it is one price, and for children a little less.

Sights of the Dead Sea coast

1. Judean desert.

Judean Desert

It stretches from Jerusalem itself all the way to the shores of the Dead Sea. This desert is perhaps one of the most mysterious on the planet. Many legends are associated with her name. By the way, people still live in some places in its vastness. It is also considered a desert only during periods of drought and is incredibly transformed during the rainy season. Not a desert, but an oasis.

2. Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.

Ein Gedi Nature Reserve

An incredible place, a paradise island in the middle of the desert. Gardens are blooming here. Locals grow melons and watermelons. In the center of the reserve there is a famous spring with unusually tasty water. There is also a fairly famous resort with natural hydrogen sulfide baths.

3. Stalactite caves.

Stalactite caves.

This is where the real paradise for speleologists lies. Not only is it very beautiful here, but you can also see a plant with the proud name Hair of Shulamith. This fern is named after the most beloved wife of King Solomon.

4. Tree of Paradise.

On its branches you can see those same legendary Eve's apples. If possible, pick a fruit from this tree and take a bite. As soon as the skin of the apple bursts, the fruit itself turns to dust.

5. Factory-shop of Dead Sea cosmetics.

cosmetics factory

The famous AHAVA cosmetics are produced and sold here. The choice of funds is huge. You can find whatever your heart desires. Starting from cosmetics to medicinal products.

6. Zero height level.

7. Mount Sodom.

Mount Sodom

It is unusual in that it consists entirely of salt deposits. At first glance, it is unremarkable. A mountain is like a mountain. But if you just take a closer look, you can see many sculptures that nature itself formed.
Personally, I advise everyone to visit this resort. It's really great here. And how can you not like such a vacation? You can not only relax, but also bring your health back to normal. Hotels, restaurants, complexes for children, cleanliness and comfort - everything is here, and in excellent condition. Of course, special attention should be paid to SPA procedures; they will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.

Hotels or where to stay

There are no problems with housing here, and in principle, like at any other resort. About 20 hotels and hotel complexes will be at your service. Prices and service are not much different, with the exception of very cheap options, where there may not even be a smell of service. I will list some of the most popular hotels on the coast.

1. David Dead Sea Resort & Spa

David Dead Sea Resort & Spa.

Ideal location, proximity to the sea and amazing spa treatments - that's what this hotel is all about. In addition to the above, there is a swimming pool, a restaurant, and a concert hall. The staff is very cheerful and friendly. The rooms are large with huge windows and excellent sea views. Several managers speak Russian well.

2. Lot Spa Hotel

The hotel is located in the middle of the coast. Among other hotels. This one is notable for having its own access to the sea. Food is a buffet, which is very convenient when following a diet. The staff is up to par. The rooms are cleaned daily and the range of cosmetics in the showers is replenished.

3. The Masada Hostel

The Masada Hostel.

The main advantage is that it is inexpensive. Good location - at the foot of the mountain we also add a plus sign. Rooms for several people, acceptable cleanliness. Not very cozy, noisy and crowded. But here it’s up to you to decide what to choose. The budget option is perfect for a few days. And significant savings in money that can be spent on excursions, of which there are many.

In Israel, there are certain problems with communication. But it is worth noting that in some hotels the staff speaks Russian, and audio translators have not been canceled. So, there is no need to learn Hebrew to visit the famous lake.

Contraindications for holidays at the Dead Sea

There are some diseases and abnormalities in the body with which you should not visit such resorts. Such diseases include malignant tumors, heart pathologies, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, bleeding, infectious diseases, epileptic attacks and other severe diseases.

People who suffer from such diseases are not recommended to visit such resorts, swim in salty ponds, or be treated with mud.

Why was the sea called dead?

This is because no living creature can survive in such salty water. There is nothing there except a few species of bacteria that have adapted to such an environment. It is also impossible to cross this lake, even by boat. The fact is that the lake simply pushes all objects that fall into the water to the surface. There were brave souls who tried to prove to the world that nothing is impossible. But in the end it all ended in tears. Boats capsized, and people died not from drowning, but from poisoning. The concentration of salt is so high that the consistency of the water resembles jelly.

Why don't Jews swim in the Dead Sea?

There is a legend that Sodom and Gomorrah used to be on the site of this lake. The inhabitants of these cities were such sinners that the Lord sent down punishment on them in the form of sulfur-salt rain. All the wicked died. Only one righteous man named Lot survived, although he was left alone, because his wife turned into a pillar of salt. Apparently she also made a lot of mistakes. The Jews believe that at the bottom of the Dead Sea there are corpses of those wicked people and to swim in this water means to join in their sins. This is one of the versions, since Jewish disputes about this sea-lake still do not subside.

Conclusion

I enjoyed my holiday on the Dead Sea coast. Plus, I brought with me a lot of natural cosmetics. And my skin became so great after local spa treatments. As a spa destination, the Dead Sea cannot be compared with any Moscow spa.