Western shore of the Dead Sea, between Qumran and Ein Gedi. Photo: Eyal Asaf.
The Dead Sea is the sea of all superlatives: at 420 meters below the Mediterranean, it is the lowest point on Earth; with salinity levels almost ten times higher than those of the ocean, it is the saltiest body of water in the world. Its density (1.24 kg/liter) is so high that it is impossible for someone to submerge in it. For this reason, the Dead Sea is called the Sea of Salt in Hebrew –Yam ha-Melaj (Josh 15:2).
Over three million years ago, the Arabian and African tectonic plates began to drift apart, widening the Rift Valley, to which the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley belong. At that time, sea levels were higher than they are now, and the waters of the Mediterranean flowed into this depression, forming a lagoon. During the most recent ice age, the sea level dropped dramatically, trapping the lagoon and transforming it into a closed, tongue-shaped lake. For this reason, geologists called it Lisán (tongue in Arabic). The lake’s salinity increased rapidly due to intense evaporation, and thick layers of salt accumulated on its bed.
This evolution was very slow. However, since the 20th century, the Dead Sea has undergone dramatic and sudden changes caused by human activity. The construction of a dam south of the Sea of Galilee and the diversion of all the Jordan River’s tributaries have drastically reduced the inflow of water into the Dead Sea. On its northern shore, the Dead Sea’s waters have receded by several hundred meters in less than a century. The southern basin of the Dead Sea remains active only because of the water it receives from the northern basin. Currently, the water level is dropping by 1.25 meters per year.
Evolution of the Dead Sea. Source: Travel Tales of Life
To save the Dead Sea, several projects have been proposed. One of them involved bringing water from the Mediterranean, but the barrier formed by the Judean mountains proved to be an insurmountable obstacle. Another, more realistic proposal, suggested building a pipeline between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. However, it never materialized due to a lack of cooperation between Israel and Jordan. Because of the sudden drop in the Dead Sea’s water level, parts of the shoreline collapsed, forming sinkholes, and many spa resorts were abandoned, creating landscapes reminiscent of dystopian films.
Perhaps it was the commotion of so many people from the tribe of Judah that had traveled to Bethlehem to register in the census, or perhaps it was a conscious decision by Joseph and his wife—the overcrowded “lodgings” did not offer the necessary privacy for Mary to give birth to her Son. In any case, the two of them headed to the outskirts of the town and chose one of the aforementioned caves as their shelter.
But when the Child was born in Bethlehem, since Joseph could not find a lodging in that village, he took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger, and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him.
St. Justin Martyr (Second Century.), Dialogue with Trypho.
The Madaba Map. Source: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY. Source: National Geographic
By Henri Gourinard