The Dead Sea : A 10,000 Year History / Nir Arielli.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Arielli, Nir, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Dead Sea (Israel and Jordan)--History.

Dead Sea (Israel and Jordan).

Physical Description:

1 online resource : illustrations, maps.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, [2024]

Summary:

A human history of one of the planet’s most iconic lakes, and the civilizations that surrounded its shores The Dead Sea is a place of many contradictions. Hot springs around the lake are famed for their healing properties, though its own waters are deadly to most lifeforms—even so, civilizations have built ancient cities and hilltop fortresses around its shores for centuries. The protagonists in its story are not only Jews and Arabs, but also Greeks, Nabataeans, Romans, Crusaders and Mamluks. Today it has become a tourist hotspot, but its drying basin is increasingly under threat. In this panoramic account, Nir Arielli explores the history of the Dead Sea from the first Neolithic settlements to the present day. Moving through the ages, Arielli reveals the religious, economic, military, and scientific importance of the lake, which has been both a source of great wealth and a site of war. The Dead Sea weaves together a tapestry of the lake’s human stories—and amidst environmental degradation and renewed conflict, makes a powerful case for why it should be saved.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

MAPS

ABBREVIATIONS

NOTE ON THE TEXT

INTRODUCTION: A PLACE OF MANY CONTRADICTIONS

CHAPTER ONE. A HARSH BUT WELCOMING SITE

CHAPTER TWO. A SITE OF GOD

CHAPTER THREE. A SITE OF WEALTH, WAR AND REFUGE

CHAPTER FOUR. A SITE OF DECLINE, NEW BEGINNINGS AND MYTHS

CHAPTER FIVE. A SITE OF SCIENCE, EXPLORATION AND DIVERGING NORMS

CHAPTER SIX. A SITE OF EXTRACTION, CONFLICT AND WATER SCARCITY

CHAPTER SEVEN. A SITE OF RUIN, BEAUTY, HEALTH AND HOPE

EPILOGUE: A HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE BELEAGUERED DEAD SEA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TIMELINE

NOTES

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780300281187

0300281188

OCLC:

1503860708