The Dead Sea is a permanent salt lake between Palestine, Jordan and Israel. The Arabs call it Al-Bahr Al-Mayyit - the Dead Sea, Bahru Lut - the Sea of Lot, the Jews call it Yam ha Melah - the Sea of Salt, and Yam ha Mavet - the Dead Sea. The lake is also known as the Sea of Asphalt and the Sea of Saddum. Although it is called the sea, it is not a mistake to call the Dead Sea a lake, a "sea". Its water surface, as of December 2012, is 427 meters below sea level. The water level is falling by one meter a year. The coast is the lowest area on land. The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest water bodies on the planet. The salinity level reaches 340-350 per mille. For comparison: in the Mediterranean, the figure is 40 per mille. The length of the sea is 67 km, the width is 17 km in the most widespread place. The deepest point is 377 meters. The area is around 1050 square kilometers. The Dead Sea is the deepest of the salt lakes. The lake has no access to the sea.
The name "Dead Sea" first appears in the works of the ancient Greek scientist and geographer Pavsani, who lived in the II century. He was one of the first to study the waters of this lake. Strabo, a first-century BC historian and geographer, also spoke about the sea in his book Geography, which he called Lake Sirbonide.
There is a story of the people of Lot in the Qur'an. This people is mentioned in other divine books. Legend has it that the total number of the people was four hundred thousand, and they lived in five cities. Excavations around the Dead Sea have shown that the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located in the Siddim Valley on the southern shore of the lake. But now, when one comes to these areas, one sees only the piles of sand and dirt that are in a state of disrepair. No one has yet found the missing cities. According to experts, these once prosperous cities were flooded after strong earthquakes. Because corruption and moral decay were rampant here, men and women had sexual intercourse, nudity was encouraged in their meetings, and prostitution was open. In addition, because they were at the crossroads of trade routes to Arabia, Egypt, and the Middle East, they attacked caravans, looted, and killed passengers and traders. All the efforts of Lot (peace be upon him) to guide his people to the right path were in vain, and Allah sent calamities upon them.
German archaeologist Werner Keller says there was a strong earthquake, natural gas exploded, lightning struck, the surrounding area was engulfed in flames, and the Siddim Valley, along with its cities, was devastated. According to scientific estimates, these events took place four thousand years ago, in the early 2000s BC.
The underwater landscapes on the eastern side of the lake also seem to indicate ruined cities. Here is the land that has penetrated into the sea basin. The Arabs call it Al-Lison. The water depth on the right is about 400 meters, while on the left it is only 15-20 meters. If you take a boat ride down the lake, you can see an underwater forest when the sun's rays are right. These trees are frozen by intense salts in the water. It is believed that this tree is very old. It is possible that Lot (as) was grazing under these trees, which once produced green leaves and flowers. In any case, this is a sign of a severe natural disaster.
The name of the Dead Sea is synonymous with the body. Because the water is so salty, no fish or living things live here. Only some bacteria have been found at the confluence of the Jordan River. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, about seventy oomycetes and fungi with large caps were found in the sea. They can withstand high levels of salinity.
Several dry rivers and the Jordan River flow into the Dead Sea. Over the last forty years, the inflow of water has decreased from 1,43 billion cubic meters per year to 100 million cubic meters.
The mineral content of salt in the Dead Sea is different from that of other seas. Salt is low in sulfates and high in bromide. This made the sea water healing. That is why millions of tourists and patients from all over the world come to the seaside resorts every year. The resorts specialize in the treatment of skin, muscle, respiratory, nervous, sexual and hereditary diseases.
In addition to the healing salt water of the Dead Sea, it is also famous for its sulfide muds. Rich in minerals, saturated with bromine, iodine and hormones, this mud is mined from the bottom of the lake. There are no dust or allergens in the atmosphere (substances that cause allergies, which are foreign to the body). Because the coast is so low and the thickest ozone layer on Earth is here, the sun's ultraviolet rays are less visible. You can easily heal in the sun, which does not have a negative effect on the body, but is beneficial. Extremely high atmospheric pressure is also a positive feature of the region. The oxygen content of the Dead Sea is ten percent higher than in other seas.
Because the water is so saturated with salt, you can comfortably lie on your back and read a newspaper, without drowning. The salt reserves of the lake are about 43 billion tons. Another amazing aspect of the Dead Sea is its natural asphalt. The reason for this is that the Egyptians used bitumen in ancient mummification.
Over the last hundred years, the natural resources of the Dead Sea have been extensively exploited. This process is accelerating. Due to the development of the mineral processing industry and the use of eighty percent of the water discharged into the sea, the water level in the lake fell sharply - by 25 meters. This led to the formation of underground cavities and subsidence. Some 1200 landslides have been reported in Jordan and Israel. The depth of the cliffs is sometimes up to 25 meters. Landslides near roads and residential areas are particularly dangerous.
In recent years, the environmental situation has begun to have a negative impact on the tourism industry in the coastal states. Therefore, a number of projects aimed at restoring the natural environment have been proposed. Jordan and Israel are currently working on a joint project to pump Red Sea water into the Dead Sea.
Man's greedy and irresponsible attitude towards nature can lead to very serious consequences. This can be seen in the case of the Dead Sea. If the necessary measures are not taken in time, this lake, which is an ointment for millions of people with its priceless and unique blessings, will eventually die in the name of its name.
Arif TOLIBprepared.
oriftolib.uz
Published in the 2014th issue of "Hidoyat" magazine in 5.
