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The Dead Sea
appeals to the geologist because of the natural wonders
that are associated with it. It fascinates the historian
because of its association with important events that
took place in the history of the world. For the
Christians, it is a place, which finds a mention in
biblical history with its places and events, which can
be traced all the way back to remote antiquity.
Somewhere, on its southeastern shores, flourished the
ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were
destroyed by the wrath of God. It is a place of interest
to the ordinary traveler because of its weird and unique
scenery.
In the Old
Testament, the Dead Sea is mentioned as the “Sea of the
Plains.” The Arabs called it the “Sea of Lut.” The Dead
Sea also finds a mention in the Holy Qur’an, where Allah
(swt) promises victory to the Romans after they suffered
a defeat by the Persians in the following words: “Alif
Lam Meem, the Romans have been defeated in the lowest
part of the land (adnal-ardh), but after defeat they
will soon be victorious.” (30: 1-3). It is now known
that the area near the Dead Sea, which was the scene of
the battle, is the lowest spot on the earth below sea
level at 1339 feet!
Around the year
620 CE, the Roman Emperor Hercalius ruled the Christian
Byzantium Empire. His empire was on the verge of
collapse for it had suffered heavy losses in its battle
with the Persians. Many of his governors had revolted
and most of his territory had been lost. Everyone was
expecting that the defeat of the Romans would be
complete. At this moment in time, the verses of the Holy
Qur’an were revealed, which announced that the Romans
would triumph over the Persians. The victory that was
promised appeared so impossible that some of the Quraish
of Makkah went so far to poke fun at these verses.
Seven years
later, when everybody had given hope on the reversal of
fortunes for the Romans, the Emperor Hercalius was ready
to fight the Persians one more time. A decisive battle
was fought, and now it was the turn of the Romans to
win. In the end, the victory of the Romans, which was
predicted in the Holy Qur’an earlier, came true!
Elsewhere, in
the Holy Qur’an, in Surah Araf, verse 80-84, Allah (swt)
tells us that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which
were located in the area near the Dead Sea – a fact
revealed by archeological studies – drew the wrath of
God on themselves because their inhabitants practiced a
perversion – sodomy – unknown to the world until that
time. Prophet Lut, who lived during the same time as
Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was sent to this people by God
to admonish them against committing lewd acts.
Unfortunately, the people of these two cities continued
as before, and in the end, they were destroyed by Divine
punishment.
Today, the Dead
Sea is also of interest to the geologists because it is
a natural storehouse for prized mineral salts. Their
exploitation and the opening of the region for the use
of industry is one of the most remarkable achievements
of modern science.
This lowest
lying body of water on the face of the globe has a
length of 47 miles and an average breadth of 9 miles,
with a maximum depth of 1300 feet. The waters are so
salty and bitter that it is impossible for any fish to
survive in them, and their specific gravity so high that
a human body floating on it will not sink below its
surface. Should a swimmer become unconscious while
swimming in the Dead Sea, his head being the heaviest
part of his body would drown under water while his body
will continue to float over it.
Another
interesting fact is the oceans of the world have 3 ½
percent of mineral salts dissolved in it, whereas in the
Dead Sea, the mineral content reaches 25 percent. The
waters of the Dead Sea get replenished from the River
Jordan and the other smaller streams, which pour
approximately 28 million tons of cubic water into it
everyday. As the Dead Sea has no outlet, this water is
entirely lost to evaporation because of the great heat
in this region.
In the beginning
of the 20th century, the area near the Dead Sea was
rarely visited by anybody. However, today it is a place
of great activity. This all started with the
establishment of an extensive potash plant at its
northern end, set up by the Palestine Potash Company in
the year 1929-30, which was initially a result of a
joint Arab-British enterprise. This, in turn, was
followed by another factory at its southern end. Later,
a modern health resort was added to the region to lure
tourists from different parts of the world. For the
tourists, the place offered picturesque scenery, with
its gorges, oases, mountains of rock salts, and hot
springs.
Other facilities
like boating and easy access from Baitu’l Muqaddas
(Jerusalem) made it a popular holiday spot for the
people of Palestine. A popular time to visit the area
was in the full moon when many people would come to bath
in the sea. Patients suffering from skin diseases,
arthritis and a host of other ailments visit the Dead
Sea from far and near to take a dip in its waters,
seeking cures for their illnesses.
t the
northeastern corner of the Dead Sea rises Mount Nebo. It
is believed that Prophet Musa (a.s) once climbed to its
top to survey the surrounding land in the area. A little
way down, on its eastern side is the hot springs of
Calirrhoe, which is believed to be the site of an
ancient health spa frequented by King Herod the great.
Further inland is the ruined castle of Macherus, where
according to the legends, Prophet Yahya (a.s) –John the
Baptist – was beheaded. A few miles down the coast is
the picturesque gorge of River Arnon, which adds great
beauty to this otherwise batten land.
The potash
factory was established at Jabal Usdum on a mountain of
rock seven miles long and five hundred feet high.
Employing Arabs and Jews, it was an island of peace in
the most turbulent times of the region’s history. On the
slopes of the mountain, one can find a pillar resembling
– when viewed from a certain position – a headless
figure of a woman, which was known among the Arabs as
the wife of Prophet Lut. Others believed that it marked
the site of the city of Sodom. A little way to the north
of Jabal Usdum are cliffs, which form an unbroken wall
of limestone, varying in height from 300-1900 feet,
whereas, those on the east coast of the of the Dead Sea
are entirely made up of sandstone of exquisite hues.
For two miles
along the shore on either side of the River Jordan,
“evaporating pans” were set up, each measuring 7 ½ acres
to 30 acres in extent, in an area that covered more than
1200 acres. Water from the Dead Sea was pumped into the
farthest and the highest pan by a great suction pipe,
which was laid on the bottom of the sea. And the pans
were arranged in a way that allowed the constant slow
movement of the waters from one pan to the other in a
downward flow to the Dead Sea.
In the first
stage, common salt was the first to be deposited in the
pans. On further concentration, crude potash was
separated out from this salt, which was harvested
mechanically and conveyed to the field mixers for
further treatment in the refinery. After decomposing
this salt with cold water, potash was refined to the
required degree of purity. From the residue that was
left behind, other valuable salts like bromine,
chlorine, magnesium and caustic potash were obtained.
Potash is a
white powder, and approximately 90 percent of the potash
produced today, is used in fertilizers in its natural
state or mixed with other nitrates and phosphates. It
can also be used in the manufacture of explosives.
Bromine is an indispensable ingredient in many drugs
manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry, as well as
a base for a valuable by-product, known as ethyl, which
added to petrol ensures a smooth running of motorcars
and airplane engines.
Soon, the demand
for potash far exceeded the supply. After three years of
hard toil, a second plant complete with a powerhouse,
pumping station, refinery and a warehouse were built in
the southern end of the Dead Sea. Evaporation pans were
again set up and a camp was established for the
laborers, who worked under difficult conditions. During
summer, the heat rose to a high of 160 degrees
Fahrenheit during the day, and rarely dropped below 100
degrees in the night. However, the air in the camp near
the Dead Sea was dry and clear, and had six percent more
oxygen than what was found at the normal sea level. Fog
was completely absent, and the whole area was free from
mosquitoes and other troublesome sand flies.
Experts have
estimated that there are more than one billion tons of
potash and eight hundred million tons of bromine and
other salts in the Dead Sea, which is sufficient to meet
the needs of the world for the next two thousand years.
Moreover, these salts are being constantly replenished
by the waters of River Jordan, which adds 40,000 tons of
valuable salts every year in solution with the hot
springs of Lake Tiberias.
With the
exception of diesel oil, which is used to generate
electric power, all other raw material used in
extraction of potash and other valuable salts come from
natural sources –the waters of the Dead Sea, the
sunlight, the fresh water from the River Jordan and the
nearby lakes and wells. This all completes the story of
the conquest of the Dead Sea and the opening up of the
region for the benefit of human beings.
Today, the
character of the Dead Sea is changing rapidly.
Scientists estimate that it will disappear with the
passage of time as its waters are drying up at alarming
rates because of the negative exploitation of the waters
of the River Jordan by Israel and Jordan for use in
mining, agriculture and industry. Already, the
evaporation rates are by far exceeding the inflow rate
of water. According to experts, if the exploitation of
its waters goes unchecked, then the Dead Sea will cease
to exist within the next thousand years. Nevertheless,
it is unrealistic to cease using the waters of the River
Jordan for the ever growing human needs. One idea that
is currently being thought about is to bring water from
the Mediterranean and the Red Sea through tunnels or a
canal to meet it at a point where the River Jordan falls
into the Dead Sea.
On May 9, 2005,
the three main parties of the region – Jordan, Israel
and the Palestinian Authority – have entered into an
agreement to begin feasibility studies on this project,
which will be known as the “Two Seas Canal.” The plan
calls for the production of 870 million cubic tons of
fresh water for the region by constructing a
desalination plant in Jordan, and to generate 550
megawatts of electricity a year to meet the needs of
people living in this region. This plan has the support
of the World Bank and holds the promise of ushering in a
new era of peace and cooperation among the people living
in the surrounding regions of the Dead Sea. |
