The fascinating Dead Sea

Unique and fascinating, the Dead Sea *sea of Lot in Hebrew is a salt lake of the Near East shared between Israel, Jordan and Palestine. With an approximate surface area of 810 km². Situated at an altitude of 417 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea lies at the lowest point of the terrestrial globe, and has the highest rate of salt saturation in the world (340 grams per litre of water). A salinity that prevents all life in its waters and that forces every body to float on the surface. Difficult to swim in, the density, linked to the high salt content, exerts an Archimedean thrust that makes every movement difficult.

In the depths of the Dead Sea enormous masses of water move about, which have no outlet at the surface. In the water, scientists have observed an increased concentration of salts and of minerals: whereas the salinity of the Dead Sea exceeded that of all the oceans. Even the confluence of the Jordan with several small rivers does not make it less salty, despite the daily flow of 7 million tonnes of water, the salinity of the Dead Sea has a salinity rate of 33.7%.

The atmosphere is extremely clean, there is no pollen and no allergens. The fact of being -400 m below sea level contributes to a lower content of solar ultraviolet. It is extremely difficult to get sunburn. Bathing in the northern part of the Dead Sea is renowned for its therapeutic virtues. The density of mineral substances, ten times higher than that of the other seas, has beneficial effects on the organism, in particular on the skin. The black clay muds, or again the air laden with sulphur and bromine, have soothing effects on the nervous system. A leading centre of research and of care for health, the Dead Sea and its climate make it possible to treat or to lessen the effects of many illnesses such as psoriasis, cystitis, cystic fibrosis, eczema or vitiligo, not forgetting rheumatism and muscular pain. Its waters can have a beneficial effect in cases of ophthalmological problems, of hypertension, of asthma or of Parkinson’s disease.

How does science explain the formation of such a body of water?

Millions of years ago, in this place, a fault in the earth was created, it began to fill with salt water. Thus, forming; the Dead Sea, which, at that time, was several hundred metres above the level of the Mediterranean Sea. Which explains the high salt content of its waters: the water of the sea evaporated and the salts and minerals remained, their concentration is much higher than it was several centuries ago. The only river belonging to the Dead Sea is the Jordan, if it did not exist, this reservoir would not have survived to our day.

In our era, the surface area of the Dead Sea shrinks every year, the sea is drying up. Israeli researchers are very concerned by this fact and are trying by every means to prevent such a natural catastrophe.

In Genesis, God calls the valley of the Jordan that borders the Dead Sea the “garden of the Lord”. Some think that it is the site of the garden of Eden