Driven by
historical and religious quests, attracted by its curative
secrets, and spell-bound by the sunset touchings its
surrounding hills with ribbons of fire across of its salty
waters; I took a journey to the lowest point on earth, 1300
feet below sea level to the Dead Sea, one of nature's most
exquisite creations, an intriguing unique place with rich
history evokes in me a sense of mystery. After all this is the
site of the mysterious Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
the Twin cities of SIn, destroyed at their location to the
Northwest of the Lisan Peninsula at the Southern extremity of
the present-day North Basin of the Dead Sea, and sank in the
dark depths of the sea waters. The Dead Sea is also the site
of the three other Biblical cities of Admah, Zebouin and Zoar.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah according to a
geotechnical perspective study, was believed to be the
consequence of a seismic event which led to liquefaction of
the alluvial plain constituting the legendary Vale of Siddim.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were lost beneath the waters
of the NOrth Basin as a consequence. As described by the
Genesis book of the Old Testament: "Then the Lord rained
down burning sulfur on SOdom and Gomorrah - from the Lord out
of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire
plain, including all those living in the cities - and also the
vegetation in the Land. Early the next morning Abraham got up
and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord.
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land
of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land,
like smoke from a furnace. So when God destroyed the cities of
the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of
the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had
lived". Before the destruction, "the Lord said to
Lot: I will not overthrow the town you speak of, but flee
there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach
it" (that is why the town Lot fled to was called Zoar).
On pulling around the shores of the Dead Sea one can see an
immense column, rounded and turret-shaped, facing the South
East on Mount Sedom (Jebel Usudom). This is due we believe, to
the transformation of Lot's wife into a pillar of salt as she
was encased at the overthrow of Sodom, after she disobeyed
God's warning not to look back when fled to Sodom. As it was
described by lynch and Montague (1849), it is a lofty round
pillar, standing apparently detached from the general mass, at
the head on a deep, narrow and abrupt chasm. The pillar was
found to be solid salt, capped with carbon of lime,
cylindrical in front and pyramidal behind.

It was measured and found to be sixty feet in height, and
forty five feet in circumference. Of course we cannot suppose
Lot's wife was a person so large that her dimensions equalled
those of this column. The location of Lot's sanctuary is
believed to be in the Safi area, and for decades, guided by
the Madaba mosaic map of Palestine, which pointed to the
existence of such a site, archaelogists have searched for
ancient Zoar, one of the FIve Biblical cities where Lot fled
to. According to the book of Genesis, it is believed that Lot
and his two daughters were afraid to stay in Zoar, and settled
in the mountains and have sought refuge in a cave after God
destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that cave lies
on a hill by a tiny spring, overlooking the Dead Sea.
To reach this unique and enchanting lowest spot on earth,
visitors can enjoy crossing the historic Jordan Rift Valley
route, marvelling at the varied glory of God's nature, a
journey of 30 km. West of Amman, and almost 45 km. East of
Jerusalem, with steep slopes, descending through fascinating
winding highways overlooking the superb view of the Jordan
Valley. En route, a stone marker indicates "Sea
Level", but the Dead Sea itself is not reached before
descending another 400 meters.
In ancient time, the Jordan Valley was one of the most fertile
places in the Middle East, and some of the Wrold's oldest
civilizations sprang from this soil. Today a vast netwrok of
dams, and canals irrigate the region with many farms, green
houses, and active housing projects. The Jordan Valley is
subtropical in its weather, and looks like a natural garden.
Driving through the valley in spring, one can see all kinds of
flowers, vegetables and fruits trees, and can smell the
enchanting aroma of the white blossoms of citrous trees. One
can also capture the colours and scent of a valley, poised on
the threshold of a new era; thus appreciating the achievements
of the present and remenescing the glories of the past.
A few kilometres before reaching the Dead Sea shores, one
drives through the small village of "Sweimeh",
surrounded with some desert hills, sand spits, and arid land.
Inhabitants of this village resemble negros in their colouring,
and have been fashioned by the severe conditions of hot, dry
and salty weather, and able to live.
As the name suggest, the sea is devoid of life except for a
few kinds of salt deposits algae, which is due to an extremely
high content of salts and minerals. But these natural salt and
mineral elements, plus the black mud which is rich in Bitumen
(The Natural Tar) found on the shores of the sea only with the
dry sunny atmosphere rich and bromine, give the Dead Sea its
curative powers as has been mentioned in the Bible and
recognized by King Herod the Great who came down to the Dead
Sea seeking relief for the body and rest for the soul more
than 2,000 years ago.
The Dead Sea has historical, geographical and spiritual legacy
of its own. It is located in the Dead Sea Rift, extending
North to South along with Wadi Araba, and the Jordan River.
All three of them form successive parts of the Great
North-South-El-Ghor Rift Valley, which formed part of a great
rift that extended from Syria to the northern most part of the
East African-Red-Sea-Levantine Rift, about 6,000 km. The Red
Sea started to form late in the Cretaceous period and
continued as a wide shallow trough until the Miocene period,
when a new phase of opening took place and the central trough
of the Read Sea as well as the Jordan Rift started to form.
The Jordan Valley by itself forms part of the Jordan-Arava
Rift Valley which runs in a South-North direction from the
Gulf of Aqaba up to the foothills of the Hermon Range. The
Valley, and the area to the North of the Dead Sea, are divided
into three parts: The Southern Jordan Valley extend to about
50 km. North of the Dead Sea, and its floor consists of the
Lisan Formation, the Central part, which extends to the
Northern shore of lake Tiberias, the relatively small Northern
part of the Valley consists largely of the Huleh Basin, a
basaltic barrier, through which the Jordan river cuts its way,
separating the Huleh Basin from lake Tiberias. The formation
of the Jordan rift is accepted now on the hypothesis of the
horizontal tectonics or the strike-slip movement (plate
tectonics). According to this hypothesis, the Arabian plate
(including the Arabian Peninsula, Jordan, Syria and Iraq) has
moved 107 km. relative to the Sinai microplate (including
Sinai, Palestine, Lebanon and Northwest of Syria). This
movement took place along the Jordan Rift, and started forming
at some time in the Miocene period, during which it was
occupied by water bodies (lakes) of various sizes and
salinities. The Jordan Valley has profound meaning for
religious travelers, tourists and natives, and the Jordan
River is known as the place where Jesus Christ was baptised
and where John the Baptist lived.
The Dead Sea is an interesting phenomenon in regard to its
geographical location, altitude, water geophysics and the warm
sunny weather which prevails most of the days of the year. It
is amazing to note that one can swim in the Dead Sea in winter
it might be snowing in Amman half an hour drive from the sea.
It is normally as calm as a mill pond, with barely a small
wave disturbing its surface. During most days of the year,
however, the sea water surface under a beating dry sun. The
rocks meet its lapping edges, they become snow like, covered
with thick gleaming white deposits that give the area a
strange, surreal sense like that of another world. Salt
formations along the Dead Sea shore with the algae growing on
the crumbling rocks look exactly like mushrooms.
The Dead Sea is the World's saltiest lake where its salinity
reaches 290 gm/L., compared to that of the Red Sea with
salinity of only 40 gm/L., and Utah's Great Salt Lake which is
around 100. The principal factor in the cure of diseases
especially skin, and in particular psoriasis and eczema, comes
from the naturally filtered ultraviolet radiation, which is
greater i UVA (long wave) and very low in UVB (middle wave)
portion of the spectrum compared to other locations; this
permits a prolonged exposure to the sunlight with minimal
phototoxicity and photodamage to the skin. This effect is due
to the thick atmospheric layer over the Dead Sea with its
vapour and haze, and to the great amount of ozone layer which
is minimally depleted compared to other areas, and also to the
low humidity and warm climate year round.

Exposure to sunlight to treat different ailments and skin
conditions and the use of natural health spas has been known
for thousands of years. There are many health spas, and
clinics, and thermal baths, around the world offering a wide
range of natural treatments that may be combined with a
relaxing vacation. Many of these centres are used simply for
restoring health. European countries have a 2000-year
tradition of spa treatment. The former Soviet Union alone had
3,500 spas. All over the world there are thousands of people
who take natural spa therapy as part of their daily life.
Exposure to sunlight, the use of mineral-spring water and mud
were alsoknwon for treatment of psoriasis for many decades,
and they showed marked improvement of cases with a longer
delay of relapses and a lesser need to use medications such as
corticosteriods and eventually few side effects and a much
less expensive method of treatment. Climatological and
balneological therapies recognized as natural spa treatments
by patients, physicians and dermatologists, have led to the
use of artificial-light palors as U.V.A, and U.V.B, and later
to photochemotherapy (PUVA) which means th euse of oral
medications like soralenes plus exposure to UVA with possible
side effects and hazards. The Dead Sea is one of the most
famous sites for such type of climatotherapy, it is the lowets
point on Earth, and the wortd's saltiets lake, with its
natural elements and minerals in addition to the mud present
on its shores, as well as the filtered ultraviolet radation,
give the sea its curative powers.
The Dead Sea Spa Treatment Centers in Israel at (Ein Bokek)
were established more than 20 years ago and have attracted
thousands of patients, mainly from the Netherlands, France,
Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, The United Kingdom,
South Africa and America, in addition to patients coming from
inside Israel. Most patients seek therapy for skin diseases
and in particular psoriasis, in addition to other diseases
like bronchial asthma, emphysema and arthritis.
The Dead Sea Spa Treatment Centre at the Salt Land Village was
opened in Jordan in July 1991, and since then thousands of
patients recieved cllimatotherapy at the centre, which is only
25 km. west of Amman. Most the patients are from Western
Europe, and neighbouring Mid-Eastern countries, as well as
locals.
It is anticipated that peace process between Jordan and Israel
will create active cooperation, vilateral and regional
studies, research, eventually promoting health tourism in many
areas, encouraging the establishment of many hotels and
wellness health centres, espicially in the Dead Sea area. It
is also expexted to initiate new projects some of which willbe
huge. But the most important project (which is still under
study) is the Dead-Red-Sea-Canal which is aimed at increasing
the level of the Dead Sea water which is endangered by
continuous and increased evaporation. It is also meant to
generate huge electrical energy which will benefit different
countires in the region, and develop the area by creating
lakes and oasis to attract tourists, thus generating new jobs
for thousands of people. It is also expected to increase the
size of production of salts and minerals from the Dead Sea,
which is the richest sources of minerals in the world, and
contians over 43 bilion tons of salts. The Dead Sea
industrrial projects include the production of fertelizers and
materials used to produce soil fumigants, pesticides, flame
tetardants, metals and detergents. The projects also will
promote the present chemical pharmaceutical and medicated
cosmetics industirs by using the elements of water, minerals
and mud of the sea. These products have a world reputation as
the miracle of the Dead Sea and the luxury and elegance of
natural health and beautyproducts by nature and brought to us
from the bottom of the world's oldest and lowest store.
History and Geography of the Dead Sea:
The Dead Sea is located in the Dead Sea RIft, and it is as old
as the history of Jordan,Palestine, and Israel, and was
mentioned in the Holy Koran and in the Old Testament, and
described by both Greek and Arabs and given many names: Sedom,
Dragon, Araba, Asphilt, and Lot Sea (Lot: the Nephew of
Abraham, who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah). The Dead Sea,
according to geological and archaeological studies, is
believed to be as old as 280 million years. It is
geographically ddivided into two lakes; The northern lake
comprises 76% of the whole sea with a maximum depth of 360
meters, a depth that used to be 400 meters deep 100 yeras ago;
and the southern lake comprising 24% and 10 meters deep. The
two lakes are separated by the Lisan Island, which resulted
mainly by the continuous receeding of water due to marked
evaporation and drought that started thousands of years ago
and increased in the early 19th century: the total length of
the sea is 52 km., and the width ranges from 12 to 17 km., the
total surface area is 1000 sq.km. The north lake has many
advantages, as it retains more sunlight by nearly half an
hour, and as it faces east, the sunset is delayed, it is also
wider and more open, with deeper waters compared with that of
the south lake. The northern Dead Sea has a narrow coastal
shelf, which later gives way to hills pluging directly into
the sea. The southern Dead Sea has evaporating areas, with
canals that lead to pools where sea is evaporated in ponds,
for the extraction of potassium and bromine, and from there
one can notice thae Moab mountains visible on the horizon,
near the shore and where the salty dry land meet receeding
Dead Sea. Jordan and Israel have started a successful Potash
(POT-ASH) production. The term is derived from the early
method of producing potassium carbonate from wood ash boiled
in pots. The process, known as leaching is to run water slowly
through the ashes of burned wood. The solution is then boiled
in huge pots, leaving behind a mass of white solid known as
POTASH SALT. More than 90% of the Potash produced in the world
is used for fertilizers. It is one of the three-key
ingredients in the production of fertilizers, which in turn is
vital to meet growing food requirements. The old ide of Potash
production remained, but new plant was established and
production began in 1983, and this was expand in the mid
eighties and modified with the solar system to enhance the
production. A second plant based on more advanced technology
and with more capacity was built in 1993. The process of
Potash production commences at the brine untake pumping
station located on the Lisan Peninsula, to a gravity flow
brine canal, then flows before it reaches the salt pond, where
high evaporation occurs, and sodium chloride is deposited, and
at the end of the salt pond, the brine is transfered to the
precarnallite pond, by gravity flow. Further processing steps
lead to Carnallite production. The following steps include:
harvesting, processing, product dewatering, drying, screening
and compaction. With the new cold crystallization plant, the
plant steps are: carnallite receiving, flotation,
crystallization, leaching, processing, drying and screening.
The Jordan River is the main source of the water feeding into
the Dead Sea; and for thousands of years, fresh and mineral
water from Jordan and in particular Moabian Mountains and also
the hills on the outskirts of Jerusalem and Jerisho carrying
dissolved salts from rocks, sand and soils, have flowed south
to the Jordan Rift valley into the Dead Sea. In addition to
rain, other water sources including water from valleys and
small Jordanian streams mainly Zarka, Mai'n, Wadi Bin-Hammad
and Wadi El-Hassa. The area of the watershed that feeds the
Dead Sea is about 400,000 sq.km., and it is called the Dead
Sea catchment area. The inflowing water evaporates, leaving
salts and mineral sediments to accumulate in the lake.
The region surroounding the Dead Sea contains rocks that and
according to the many geological studies, are around 500
million years old; and these rocks were formed in two stages:
(1) The Pre-rifting formations period, which formed before the
Dead Sea and Jordan Ghor Valley, coincided with the Middle
Cambrian Century, with different types of rocks which included
Shale, Cruziana and Trace Fossils. It also coincided with the
Upper Cambrian Century with its Massive Brownish Weathered
Sandstones and Triassic rocks, and also included both the
Lower and upper Creataceus where Losber Eocene, and Hosb rocks
formation which is called (Hotzeva) in Hebrew, that occured
during the last 26 million years.
(2) The Post-rift formations began less than 26 million years
ago, when the mountains of Jordan and Palestine were one unit
with no valley separating them at that time. During that
period the rock salts and water started to form in many stages
and locations and in a chronological mannar as follows:
(A) Usdim formation; with deposition of rock salts and some
layers of Carnallite, in addition to the exchange of waters
between the old site of Jordan Rift and the Mediterranean Sea,
which was documented by finding deposits of Mugil Priscus
Fish, and the formation of (Foothill) and (Hamarmar) as it is
named in Hebrew.
(B) Shagur formation; and this can be noticed nowadays as
large ball like stone deposits, present on both sides of the
road giong from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem. DUring this stage,
many rocks were geologically recognized as Melanopsis of
Praemorsa Lennel, Trichia, Porretia, Ostracoda, and Plant
Remnants of (Palm trees), and it is believed that such rocks
were formed by fresh waters which were present in that
location.
(C) Ghor el Katar formation; and most of the rocks ormed were
of sand and clay stones, and thought to be of a volcanic
origin which is believed to have happened in Ghor el Katar
long time ago and resulted in the destruction of these rocks
and their transformation into sand and clay.
(D) Kufringa Gravels; which was the Middle Pleistocene century
where Kufringa Gravels, and Naharayim, and Abu Habil sites
were formed. At these locations, some tools which were used by
the first man who lived in that area were found.
(E) Samra formation; which is 6 km. North-East of Jericho,
where layers of Oolitic made of Chert Sand and characterized
by cross bedding are present. Many geologists confirmed the
theory that there was a fresh water lake in the Rift Valley
called Samra Lake, extending 190 km. from Beisan city to Ein
El Hosob, which is South of the Dead Sea, where fish was
living in that lake.
It wa also believed that there were many lakes in Smara, but
as the weather in that area started to change from dry to
humid, heavy rains contributed to the formation of the lakes,
added to that was the inflow to the area of streams water.
(F) Lisan stage; during this period, a huge lake of 275 km.
length and 17 km. width and 200 meters depth, was formed in
the present area both of the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley and
was called Lisan Lake and was larger than Usdom, Smara lakes,
and even the present Dead Sea.
(G) Damya formation; during this stage a period of very dry
weathre was dominating that area which ended up with the
evaporation of water of the Dead Sea-Rift.
(H) Dead Sea formation stage; there were many theories based
on geological studies which explain the history of the Dead
Sea formation, this included the flowing into the region of
salty and fresh water with other elements, in addition to the
geological tension movements which led into both the
transverse and other border faults, which eventually led to
the creation of a deep rift. This rift was surrounded by
mountians on both sides, in addition to the deposition of
salts, followed by more fresh water that flowed into the rift
due to the high humidity of the atmosphere which prevailed
during the Lisan and Samra periods. In another analysis, the
Dead Sea was only the North Basin, and it was nothing but a
Sink Hole in the salts of Usdom Stage and then dissolved in
water in one of the stages that provided the rift valley with
fresh water when there was a high humidity which happened
sometime ago.
The natural curative factors atthe Dead Sea area are many and
they include first of all the climate; the biometeorological
conditions of the Dead Sea area are unique in many ways. The
Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth and it was measured in
1996 to be around 405 meters (1328 feet), below sea level. The
temperatures of the area are high year round with an annual
average of 30.4r C (86.7F), compared to the Miditerranean Sea
temperature, which is 11.2r C (52.1F), as annual average. The
Humidity is low with an annual average ranging between 35% and
54%, leading to dry weather, and little rainfall, with an
annual average of 104.6mm., compared to other areas in Jordan
and Israel, which reach to almost 600 - 800 mm. There are also
about 333 sunny days a year, with an average daily sunshine
duration of 8.7 hours.
The atmosphere over the Dead Sea is rich in oxygen, 10% more
than any other sea, and in both Jordan and Israel; and this
high oxygen level is useful for breathing and for
extrametabolic body activity. The atmosphere is rich in
bromine, about 15 times more than over Jordan and Israel,
which has a relaxing and sedative effect on the nervous system
and the body.
Sunlight:
Atmospheric-ozone studies carried out by the Metereological
Department in Jordan in October, 1991 showed that the ozone is
located in an atmospheric layer that extends 20-35 km. above
the Dead Sea surface, with the highest point of concentration
at 25 km., where the concentration reaches 400
micrograms/meter, and with a relative specific gravity of 1.7
part per million (ppm). This concentration becomes less in the
spring. The depletion of ozone layer, which appeared in 1982
due to chloroflurocarbon products and caused the creation of a
hole above the South Pole (where the conentration of ozone
depleted by 50%), as well as in many areas around the world,
in different degrees did not occur over the Dead Sea as it is
estimated to be only around 3%.
The sunlight, is the the principal natural curative factor in
the Dead Sea region, and studies if U.V. radiation at the Dead
Sea have shown that there is more U.V.A. radiation there than
elsewhere. The high atmospheric density and pressure with its
high ozone layers and high evaporation haze, all function as
excellent natural filtration media for the U.V. spectrum. As a
result, the shorter U.V.B. rays (290-320nm = nanometers) are
more defracted at 400 meters below sea level and are mostly
filtered out, allowing mainly the long U.V.A. (365-400nm) to
reach the surface, with the result of a relative preponderance
of U.V.A. over U.V.B. rays. The ratio of UVA/UVB is highest at
the Dead Sea at all times of the year when measurments were
made, as compared to other regions around the Mediterranean
sea. This allows safe, prolonged exposure to the sunlight,
with the result of more tanning and minimal sunburn, and less
photodamage to the skin and low risk for skin cancer
formation.
Water Geophysics:
The water of the Dead Sea is the world's saltiest lake, with
salinity reachings 290 gm/Liter. At a 100 meter depth it
reaches 326 gm/Liter. As the name suggest, the Dead Sea is
devoid of life due to its extremely high content of salts and
minerals except for few kinds of salt diposits algae, in
addition to certain flowers, plants and natural vegetations
and trees, which grow in salty water and land close to the
Dead Sea, and in the Jordan Valley areas. The species of some
of these trees are: popular (Populus euphratica), and tamarisk
(Tamarix jordanensis). There are also the Acacia trees with
their beatiful flowers, specially one of iits family called
Jamielah and some kinds of vegetations like Ziziphus lotus, a
densly branched shurbs, 1-2 m. high with small spines and
edible fruits, and Retama raetam, a broom-like shurb. The
mountains to the East and West of the Jordan Valley, are
covered by mediterraneanns wood and shurb vegetations, such as
Quercus Callipriros (Evergreen oak), Ouercus ithaburensis
(Tabor oak), Pirus Halepensis (Aleppo pine), and pestacia
Palaestina (Tuperntine tree). It is interesting to mention
that the Southern part of the Huleh Valley, was occupied by a
shallow lake, while marches covered central part of the Basin.
Vegetations dominated by Cyperus Papyrus (Papyrus) occupied
large streches of the Huleh swamps, a long time ago.
Although the Dead Sea is normally as calm as mill pond, with
barely a ripple disturbing its surface, it can sometime bedome
turbulent, with waves of 1.1 meters high and 10 meters long
lasting for few seconds; and this calm character makes it
ideal for swimming and floating over its surface for few
seconds; and this calm character makes it ideal for swimming
and floating over its surface for a longer time compared to
other seas. The salinity of the water means a high T.D.S.
(total dissolved salts), which reaches 335.214 part per
million (ppm), compared to the Mediterranean water which is
80.000 ppm. only. The hight salinity of the Dead Sea water is
due to the tremendous evaporation processand the high amount
of salt and mineral sediments. The water densiry is
consequently high and reaches 1.23 gm./cc. at 25r C. The
chemical analysis of the water shows a high content of
minerals and salts in general, and a high concentration of
certain elemants and in particular bromides products, whose
concentration is 50 times more than that of the waters of
other seas. The high bromine level functions as a relaxing
factor to skin, muscles and to the whole body. The
concentration of magnesium is also 15 times that of other
seas, and its functions as antiallergic factor on both the
skin, and the lung bronchioles; this is why many patients with
asthma get benefit out being in the Dead Sea area in addition
to the effect of the dryness of the weather and low humidity.
The water contains a natural tar called "Bitumen",
and this is why the Dead Sea was called in the past the "Asphilt"
or "Tar Sae". This natural tar is believed to
function as an antiinflammatory and keratolytic agent to the
skin, (which means smoothing of the skin surface).
Black Mud:
Black Mud is present on the shores of the sea in different
locations and it has a blackish colour with sulphiric smell.
Mud samples were analyzed at the Arab Potash Laboratories in
Jordan in 1991 and showed to contain a high percentage of
halogens, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium, magnesium,
zinc, natural tar (Bitumen), and silicates (silicon
compounds). The samples also contain many salts and minerals
as the mud absorbs them from the water itself, the latter has
an excellent effect on the skin and acts as a mask. The black
colour of mud absorbs high sun rays, so it acts as a
photosensitizer and attracts more sun when it is applied t the
skin. Mud packs are mainly useful arthropathy, as they help in
stimulation of blood circulation around the affected joints.
Microbiological studies were also carried on samples of mud
and the sea water which showed to contain only salt-tolerant
halophilic bacteria, that have no significant function, and
are normally present in salt waters.
Physical and psychological benefits of the Dead Sea:
Physical and psychological benefits of the Dead Sea are due to
the high specific weight of the water which allows the body to
float. This flotation force causes a partial loss of body
weight resulting in easier movements of limbs, and so it helps
in physiotherapeutic exercises (hydrotherapy), for the skin,
the muscles, and the joints and in various conditions of
paralysis, paresis, muscular stiffness, bone fracture and limb
amputation. The human body is also influenced by the dissolved
chemical components in the water, and as a result of the
influx and outflow of ions, the equilibrium of the skin is
changed. In addition to that a proccess of penetration into
the body of certain chemical components and gases occurs. The
immersion in the water of the sea causes thermal, mechanical
and chemical types of stimulation, and the heat of the water
dilates the blood vessels resulting in a quiker circulation
and a decrease in the blood pressure, and rise in body
temperature. It is impossible to sink in the thick brine, as
the water has a high specific gravity, but one can, however,
recline on the water to read a newspaper. In addition, the
area is of quiet nature and free of pollution as it id far
away from industrial, agricutural or housing development
projects and so it has a psychotherapeutic influence in
alleviating frustration and apprehension and leading into
total tension relaxation. The group therapy of patients is
also helpful in having a relaxing and useful treatment with
excellent results. It is also important to mention here that
not far away, over the hils to the east of the Dead Sea, is
another special water adventure: The Ma'in hot springs, now
developed as a beatiful comprehensive spa, with a hotel,
bathing and physical therapeutic facilities. In addition to
that there is the Zara area east of the Dead Sea, and on the
mountains which are very close, there are about 55 sources of
hot sulphurrous mineral water springing from a depth of 1500
meters pouring to the lake. Overlooking the Dead Sea and the
Jordan Valley and to the Esat side, 10 kilometers West of
Madaba (The Madaba of the Bible), the city of mosaic, is the
most revered site in JOrdan: the hilly district of "Mount
Nebo", the memorial tomb of Moses and the persumed site
of the prophet's death and burial place. From that point, one
can have a view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea to
the rooftops of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. On Mount Nebo one can
marval at the artistory of the mosiac places and in particular
the churches there, dug in the serenity of this mountain that
has been touched with so much history. A drive of half an hour
by car South of Madaba lies Mukawir, (Ancient Mauchaerus),
which has also a splendid spectacular view across the Dead
Sea, the hills around Jerusalem, the fortress built by Herod
the Great, whicch after his death was passed on to Herod
Antipas, and later on was destroyed by Roman's. Here is where
the beautiful Salome danced for Herod, who later presented her
with the head of John the Baptist in order to honour her
wishes. In Israel there are more thermomineral springs along
the steep escapments bordering the western shore of the Dead
Sea with hot waters rich in minerals facilities that have been
developed to meet excellent touristic standard. The waters
flowing out at these springs are actually mixed solutions, the
components of which originates from various underground strata
and have different hydrogeological histories. These are (1)
Hamme Zohar (Zohar Hot Springs), on the South-Western shore of
the Dead Sea, are sulphur-bearing, and the waters originate
hundreds of meters underground with a temperature close to
boiling point. The water contains high concentrated magnesium
and carbon dioxide, as well as sulphur and hydrogen sulphide.
(2) Hamme Mazor (Ein Gedi Hot Springs) and hamme Shalem (Shalem
Hot Springs), a few kilometers South of Ein Gedi, near the
water-line of the Dead Sea, and further North, between Ein
Gedi and Mitzpe Shalem, rises the thermomineral source of
Shalem. The waters of both springs contain chlorides and
bromides of mainly sodium, potassium and calcium, and smaller
amount of lithium and strontiums, and high concentrations of
sulphur and carbon dioxide.
Ein Gedi possesses a seductive beauty, and richness caused by
the potent mineral-rich air and water, and warm climate.
According to A.J. Bernstein, an independent photojournalist
based in New York City wrote in " Ambassador Magazine
" "Legend has it what when Marc Antony fell
ruinously in love with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, he wanted to
impress her with a priceless gift for a woman who had
everything shrewd and acquisitive, Cleopatra asked for the
persimmon groves of Ein Gedi. A perfume was made from the
persimmon fruit. A woman could hide a tiny vial of the
fragrance under the arch of her foot, then stomp on it at a
propitious moment to drive a man wild. Ein Gedi was the only
place where this perfume was made, and cursed was the man who
revealed its secrets. The groves belonged to King Herod, and
Antony had to cajole him into giving Cleopatra a short-term
lease. Herod eventually would get back his precious groves,
but when the Jews latter battled the Roman Conquerors, Ein
Gedi was reduced to rubble and the persimmon groves were lost
forever".
The medical centres at the Dead Sea Spas in both Jordan and
Israel have facilities for treatment, massage, gymnastics and
mud packs. Private solariums are located with direct access to
the sea and surrounded by beautiful bamboo fences and the area
is planted with palms and other subtropical trees that look
like a forest. There are physicians and dermatologists and a
number of nursing staff and physical therapists available most
of the time. The Spa-Centres in Israel are more advanced and
have more rooms and staff, with longer experience.
The percentage and success of clearance of skin diseases in a
great number of patients was significant and the results of
studies showed that around one third of the patients had a
complete clearance, and between 40%-50%, showed a significant
one, and around third as partial. The records of 1448 patients
treated for psoriasis at the International Psoriasis Treatment
Centre in Ein Bokek were retrospectively evaluated concerning
their treatment response and demographic characteristics.
Clearing of 80-100% was observed in 88% of the patients
treated, including almost 58%, how had complete clearing.
Around 750 patients treated at the German Medical Centre (the
Salt Land Village) in Jordan showed marked improvement and a
55% clearance in 80% of the patients treated.
Nature has endowed the Dead Sea region with a rare combination
of Unique health-giving properties, and a journey to the
lowest point on earth with the natural beauty, and historical,
climatological wealth and seaside environment away from the
streets of every day life. Not to mention getting acquainted
with a new culture, and meeting guests from all over the
world, ultimately means leaving behind a joy, something
learned, and some fresh hope for future generations. |