The length of the Dead Sea reaches 67 km, the maximum width is 18 km, and the maximum depth is 378 meters. But every year the water level drops by 1 meter - the sea retreats, leaving behind soil hypersaturated with salt. Rainwater washes away salt, and voids form in the soil, into which it is very easy to fall. There are about 1,200 sinkholes in Israel and Jordan, the depth of which sometimes reaches 25 meters. The greatest danger is posed by sinkholes that form along roads and near residential complexes.
The high percentage of salinity practically excludes the possibility of the existence of living organisms, hence the name of the lake. However, several species of tiny bacteria and one algae, Tunoliella, still live in the Dead Sea.
The mineralogical composition of the lake’s salt differs from the composition of salt in the water of other seas. It contains about 50.8% magnesium chloride, 30.4% sodium chloride, 4.4% potassium chloride and 14.4% calcium chloride. Thanks to this wealth, the Dead Sea has turned into a unique healing resort that attracts many tourists from all over the world. In addition to the unusual composition of salts, the reservoir is also famous for its healing mud, extracted from the bottom of the lake. The famous silt sulfide mud of the salt lake is highly mineralized, has a high content of iodine, hormone-like substances and bromine.
You can rub yourself with mud from large filled jugs installed on the shore:
The dirt must dry, and then it must be washed off. This procedure significantly helps people with joint problems.
Dead Sea mineral water is a clear, oily, viscous liquid with a temperature of approximately 30 degrees. Immersion in water brings considerable pleasure; due to the high density of water, a person does not drown in it, but experiences a feeling of weightlessness. Although the salinity of the water “holds” well on the surface, actually diving or swimming in the Dead Sea will be very difficult. It will be easier to sit in the water, like in a hammock. When immersed in water, you get the feeling that it is not water, but oil.
It must be said that here you have to take precautions: avoid cuts on salt crystals, the wounds from which take a very long time to heal, and also do not splash or dive, because... water can seriously burn the retina of the eye. If this does happen, the shore guards will come to the rescue with bottles of clean water. In general, it is recommended to stay in this water for no more than 20 minutes at a time on the Jordanian shore and no more than 15 minutes on the Israeli shore, where the water is even more highly mineralized.
Due to the fact that the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet, the sun's rays, traveling an additional distance, lose all harmful ultraviolet radiation, so you can safely sunbathe as much as you like without harm to the body. The air here is absolutely clean of impurities, enriched with oxygen, and has a high bromine content, which can restore a weakened nervous system and give the body additional strength.
The lake is fed by the waters of the Jordan River and streams flowing in winter from the slopes of the Moaf mountains on the side of Jordan and from the Judean mountains in Israel, and underground springs also contribute. The Jordan River daily brings about 7 million tons of water to the Dead Sea, which has no outlet, but the heat of the Jordan Valley evaporates it quite quickly. Physically, the lake consists of two basins connected by an artificial channel. Under the seabed lies a thick layer of salt, which was formed due to the evaporation of the Lashon Sea about a million years ago.
The Dead Sea is surrounded on all sides by desert. A unique lake appeared about 5 million years ago as a result of strong tectonic processes that created the Great Afro-Asian Rift. The earth's crust in this area is in constant motion to this day.
View of the Dead Sea from above:
The shores of the lake are no less interesting than the lake itself. In some places the water has evaporated, leaving large areas of salty, heat-cracked land, and just beyond them rise dry brown mountains. Further north these mountains turn red, and near the southern part of the lake there are pillars of salt.
An ancient legend is associated with one of these pillars. The Bible mentions the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were mired in vices and sins. Lot, a virtuous and God-fearing man, was warned that these cities would be destroyed in atonement for sins, and he and his family must leave these places. But none of his loved ones should turn around under any circumstances. Unfortunately, Lot's wife could not resist the desire to take one last look at the city and, according to legend, at that moment she turned into a huge pillar of salt, which still stands near the modern city of Sedom. It is interesting that there is a scientific explanation for this phenomenon: in 1988, the American chemist A. Klotz suggested that when Lot’s wife stopped to look at the city, she was covered by a wave of hot air from a blazing fire, in which there was a high concentration of carbon dioxide. This caused the combination of calcite with carbon dioxide in the body, and as a result of the instantly ensuing calcite crystallization, the woman turned into a motionless block of calcite, which in Hebrew was called “salt.”
Legend also says that Lot and his daughters found shelter near the Dead Sea after Sodom was destroyed. The cave in which Lot hid is located near Safi, Jordan.
A pillar of salt into which, according to local residents, Lot’s wife turned:
The historical authenticity of the existence of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is questioned; they are mentioned only in biblical sources and are unknown to archaeology. But according to Russian researcher Yuri Kudinov, the place where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood is now flooded by the Dead Sea. Yuri managed to find a photograph of an ancient map, which is kept in one of the universities in Israel. On the map, these cities exist and are located where the rivers flow into the Dead Sea. Now these rivers have long since disappeared or they do not flow into the Dead Sea. To confirm his guesses, Yuri used a device such as a sonar, which, using reflected sound of a certain frequency, allows you to take a picture of the bottom. When the sonar records were deciphered, in some of the images scientists suspected objects that were clearly of man-made origin. Then Yuri Kudinov’s group began filming underwater using an autonomous underwater video camera equipped with its own engines and control system. The shooting was not easy - very dense water, when a ray of light hit it, produced a solid white wall in front of the lens. The matter was further complicated by the fact that the use of any watercraft on the Dead Sea is prohibited, so the team manually moved the raft with the equipment installed on it. The cable length was only 50 meters, so the research radius was significantly small. But even with all these factors, in four days it was possible to shoot a ten-minute film with a more or less distinguishable image, where you can quite clearly see an object lying at the bottom, similar to a column. There are other objects in the shape of large eggs, some circles overgrown with salt. That is, today we can say for sure that these are man-made objects. And the presence of a column indicates that there were some buildings in this place.
Salt flats of the Dead Sea:
According to the Bible, the Dead Sea served as a refuge for King David. In addition, it is the first resort in the world (created for Herod the Great), and it was here that a large number of substances were mined, ranging from balms for mummification in Ancient Egypt to a wide variety of fertilizers.
The Dead Sea is one of the most unique objects on Earth. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is one of the ten most saline lakes on the planet, and its coast is the lowest piece of land, which is 425 meters below sea level. The sea is located at the intersection of the borders of Palestine and Jordan. Due to the fact that it has no drainage, the concentration of salts in it reaches 33 percent, taking into account the fact that, for example, in the Mediterranean Sea this figure is 4 percent.
Story
One of the first researchers to mention the Dead Sea in their works is the ancient Greek scientist Pausanias. For centuries, the sea was called dead, because it was believed that due to the extreme mineralization of the waters (salt concentration), living organisms could not live in it. At the turn of the 20th - 21st centuries, an international group of scientists discovered more than seventy species of bacteria and fungi in the waters of the lake. Several streams flow into the sea, which periodically dry up, as well as the Jordan River. The amount of water flowing into the sea is constantly decreasing, resulting in a drop in the water level by 1 meter per year. The volume of water flow has decreased from 1.43 billion to 100 million cubic meters per year over the past 40 years.
In 1947, a child of Bedouins wandering in these places accidentally found ancient manuscripts on the seashore, now known as the Qumran manuscripts. These documents proved the fact that the Yevsey sect that lived here adhered to canons very similar to the Commandments of Christ two centuries before. In addition, the Dead Sea is known for the fact that the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located on its shores.
Features of the Dead Sea water
In terms of the level of water mineralization, the Dead Sea is on a par with the East African Lake Assal (35 percent of salts), the salty Lake Elton in the Volgograd region of Russia (up to 50 percent of salts), as well as the famous Lake Baskunchak in the Arkhangelsk region (37 percent). The salt compositions of all these lakes differ significantly. The Dead Sea, in particular, contains significant amounts of bromides, making it one of the most popular health resorts in the Middle East. In addition to salts dissolved in water, healing mud located on the shores and extracted from its depths are of great importance for the tourism industry and health improvement. Therapeutic mud from the bottom of the Dead Sea has a very high mineralization, which reaches 300 grams per liter. They contain the highest concentration of bromine and iodine.
Climate, geographical location, environmental situation
The climatic indicators of the Dead Sea are also unique. Due to its location below sea level, the atmospheric pressure and oxygen content in the local air are significantly higher than in any other place on the globe. Dry and hot desert air reduces humidity on the sea coast to record levels. The temperature in the summer months reaches 40 degrees Celsius, in winter - about 25. There is practically no precipitation in these places, even in winter, its level exceeds 50 millimeters. There are often years during which there is no rain at all.
The geographical dimensions of the water mirror are 67 kilometers long and 18 kilometers wide. These parameters are constantly decreasing, as the sea loses water every year, causing its depth and size to decrease. Due to the hot and dry climate, it happens that 2 millimeters of water evaporate in one day. Currently, the maximum depth of the reservoir is 378 meters.
The uniqueness of the Dead Sea is also the reason for its slow destruction. Currently, the facility is close to an environmental disaster. Active development of mineral deposits in its vicinity led to a disruption of the natural relationships of the ecosystem. In addition, 80 percent of the waters that previously fed the reservoir are now used for economic needs, which leads to a simultaneous decrease in groundwater levels and sea levels. Researchers have stated that the water level has dropped by 25 meters over the past 100 years. This process is accelerating. Due to the selection of natural resources and falling sea levels, it was divided into two parts, connected by a narrow strait. The southern part, as it is shallower, is used for the extraction of natural minerals such as bromine and carbonate compounds. The extraction of minerals occurs due to their crystallization during the evaporation of water. This process led to the division of the southern part of the sea into separate communicating basins, which completely disrupted the natural movement of waters in the sea. The development of the current situation will definitely be an environmental disaster. Its harbingers are already taking place. In particular, in places where the groundwater level has dropped, ground subsidence and sinkholes began to form. Sometimes their depth reaches 25 meters. The highest threat comes from sinkholes that occur in places where people live, as well as along roads. Currently, the formation of 1,200 sinkholes has been recorded, some of them occurred immediately after the passage of people or vehicles.
The main reasons for the approaching environmental disaster are: the use of groundwater and water supply for economic purposes, as well as changes in climatic conditions.
Recently, Jordan and Israel have noticed that the condition of the Dead Sea and its surroundings could have a detrimental effect on the tourism sector and have decided to implement an international action plan to save it. Possible options were the construction of structures that would allow the Dead Sea to be fed with the waters of the Red and Mediterranean. It was decided to build a canal towards the first, and at the moment, the project is at the development stage. The Jordanian-Israeli program to save the unique water body will cost 3 - 4 billion US dollars.
Another problem in the resort area is the constant increase in the amount of sewage dumped by Palestinian cities into the sea. Despite all the efforts of activists, environmental organizations and individuals, nothing short of the construction of modern sewers on the Palestinian side will change the situation. Currently, the state is not ready to come up with construction initiatives.
Tourism and leisure
Despite these problems and environmental troubles, the tourism sector of the Dead Sea region continues to develop. Private investors continue to invest in the construction of new hotels and clinics.
There are several national reserves around the Dead Sea, where many species of plants and animals are protected. These include Mujib, a monastic complex on the territory of which is Lot's Cave, in which, according to legend, his destruction field of Sodom found its refuge. On the shores of the Dead Sea there are cities such as Kalia, Almog, Mitzpe Shalem and Ein Gedi. In addition to being located in a unique tourist area, these cities are one of the few remaining agricultural communities in the country that exist according to the old principle of common property ownership and equality in all areas of work and consumption.
The main focus of local tourism is health improvement. In many small tourist villages, a developed infrastructure has been created that allows many people from all over the world to improve their health, as well as treat various diseases using air, water and earth saturated with minerals. The resort is most popular among citizens suffering from diseases of the respiratory system, having problems in the field of nephrology, and also requiring recovery after exposure to radiation.
A separate segment of the region’s tourism market is cosmetology. In addition to the fact that various preparations made from substances extracted from the Dead Sea are sold all over the world, in the resort towns on its coast there are many cosmetology and spa centers whose specialists carry out a wide range of operations for rejuvenation and restoration of skin, hair, nails and provide educational materials for further care and health preservation.
Its surface and coastline are 422 m below sea level and this level is constantly decreasing. The Dead Sea lies in an intercontinental depression formed during the split of Eurasia and Africa. The lake coast is the lowest landmass on Earth.
The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth, with salinity reaching 33.7%. The lake is 67 km long, 18 km wide at its widest point, and maximum depth is 378 m.
The nearest major cities are Jerusalem 19 km, Amman (Jordan) 48 km, 84 km, 360 km. On the western side it goes to Eilat.
Story
The first mention of the name “Dead Sea” was found in the works of the ancient Greek scientist Pausanias, who was one of the first to explore its waters.
The sea was called “dead” because it was believed that due to its high salt content, neither fish nor other organisms could live in it (with the exception of some types of bacteria at the mouth of the Jordan River). In the last years of the XX - early XXI centuries. About 70 species of oomycetes and higher fungi were found in it, capable of tolerating the maximum salinity of this reservoir.
Several drying streams flow into the Dead Sea and. Over the past 40 years alone, the volume of water flow has decreased from 1.43 billion cubic meters. m per year up to 100 million.
Also famous were found in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. These are more than 600 manuscripts proving that the Jewish sect back in the 2nd century. before the Nativity of Christ, she professed principles surprisingly similar to the gospel commandments. The first scrolls with manuscripts from Qumran were accidentally found by a Bedouin boy in 1947.
Biblical cities were located in the Dead Sea area.
The Bible tells about these cities mired in sins and vices. Lot, a God-fearing and virtuous man, was warned that the cities would be destroyed to atone for these sins, and he and his family must flee. But under no circumstances should anyone close to Lot look back. Unfortunately, Lot's wife could not resist the temptation to take a last look back and, according to legend, turned into a large one, which still stands near the modern city of Sedom.
Salinity and water composition
The Dead Sea is one of the world's most saline lakes, along with Lake Assal in East Africa (almost 35%) and Lake Elton in the Volgograd region (20-50%).
The water of the Dead Sea can hardly be called water; it would be more correct to say “a strong solution of salt.” The mineralogical composition of Dead Sea salt differs significantly from the composition of salt from other seas. It contains about 50.8% magnesium chloride, 14.4% calcium chloride, 30.4% sodium chloride and 4.4% potassium chloride. Salt contains few sulfates, but relatively many bromides. This allowed the Dead Sea to turn into a unique healing resort created by nature and attracting millions of tourists from all over the globe.
In addition to the unique composition of salts, the Dead Sea is also known for its healing mud, which is extracted from the bottom of this lake. The famous silt sulfide mud of the Dead Sea is highly mineralized (up to 300 g/l), with a high content of bromine, iodine, and hormone-like substances.
The Dead Sea consists of a larger northern basin and a smaller southern one, which is mostly dry. From the first to the second, water is transported through special canals across the isthmus. In the small basin of the Dead Sea there are artificial evaporation pools, and on the shore there is an industrial complex of Dead Sea enterprises.
In some places, the sea water has evaporated, leaving huge patches of salted earth, cracked from the heat, and behind them dry brown mountains rise as sharp, dusty rocks. Further north these dry mountains turn red, sometimes blazing scarlet in the afternoon sun, and at the southern end of the lake there are pillars of salt.
The Dead Sea area has extraordinary biometeorological conditions. At this lowest point on the globe there is an exceptionally thick layer of air. Together with a natural filter of water vapor and minerals rising from the surface of the water, it reflects harmful ultraviolet rays.
The Dead Sea is a strange place that creates a unique atmosphere; In addition, this is a quiet place where you can hardly hear birdsong, and the constant evaporation of water envelops it in a usually mysterious haze.
Due to the high concentration of mineral salts and intense evaporation of water, the Dead Sea often smells of sulfur, and the temperature here rarely drops below 40° C - all this is not conducive to long-term contemplation of its shores.
A visit to the Dead Sea is an unforgettable pleasure, but there are some things that can overshadow the holiday of meeting this wonder of the world.
Ecological situation
Over the past century, the natural resources of the Dead Sea have been exploited with increasing intensity. Industrial mining of minerals and the use of 80% of the tributaries flowing into the Dead Sea have led to a sharp drop in groundwater levels.
Over the last century, the water level has dropped by 25 m, and the destructive process is only progressing. Today, sea level is falling by an average of 1 m per year.
In 1977, due to drainage, the sea was divided into two parts, northern and southern.
The southern part is under the control of mineralogy plants. The enterprises mine bromine, potassium carbonate and other minerals. Crystallization of salts occurs through evaporation. For these purposes, the southern part was turned into a system of interconnecting pools. Thus, the natural process of water circulation in the Dead Sea was disrupted.
The current situation entails an inevitable environmental disaster. Its first echoes are clearly felt today. The drop in groundwater levels has led to the formation of underground cavities and subsidence of the soil. In Israel and Jordan, there are about 1,200 sinkholes, the depth of which sometimes reaches 25 m. The greatest danger is posed by sinkholes that form along roads and near residential complexes. A case of a sinkhole occurring immediately after a tourist bus passed by was recorded. Luckily, none of the passengers were injured. Until now, three people have become victims of failures.
In recent years, the situation has begun to threaten the tourism industry and has caused concern in both Israel and Jordan. Several projects have been proposed to transfer the waters of the Red and Mediterranean Seas to the Dead Sea.
Today, the joint Jordanian-Israeli project to transfer Red Sea waters is in the modeling stage. Scientists are trying to predict the consequences of the construction of such a canal and its impact on the ecology of the Gulf of Eilat. The cost of the project is 3-4 billion US dollars.
Tourist infrastructure
On the shores of the Dead Sea are kibbutzim, Kalia, Almog and Mitzpe Shalem, as well as a number of national parks, hotels and other tourist sites.
Photo gallery
The Dead Sea is considered a hypersaline closed lake and a unique place on the planet: people come from all over the world to see this natural and picturesque body of water. There are many interesting facts about the Dead Sea. Here are 14 of the most surprising ones.
1. The length of the lake, according to the most conservative estimates, is about 67 km: the width of the reservoir is only 18 km. The main tributary of the sea is the Jordan River. This unusual lake lies in the region of the East African Rift Zone. At the same time, the depth of the Dead Sea reaches 377 m: the lake has become the deepest and saltiest body of water on the planet.
2. The history of the origin of the Dead Sea is unusual: it was formed at the bottom of a depression formed as a result of tectonic movements of the continent. At depth in the Dead Sea, plate shifts are still occurring: there is increased control over seismic activity, because small earthquakes occur every year - people do not feel them, but the accuracy of the instruments allows these tectonic movements to be recorded.
3. Huge masses of water move in the depths of the Dead Sea, which do not have access to the surface. Scientists found an increased concentration of salts and minerals in the water: at the same time, the Dead Sea surpassed any ocean in terms of salinity.
Even the flow of the Jordan River and several small rivers into the reservoir does not make the water fresh: despite the daily intake of 7 million tons of water that does not flow out anywhere, the salinity of the Dead Sea is 33.7%. Scientists believe that the water entering the sea quickly evaporates under the influence of sunny weather.
4. Thanks to the surprisingly high concentration of salt, a person naturally floats on the surface of the water without difficulty.
5. Nowadays, the Dead Sea consists of two separate basins. They are separated from each other by an artificially created isthmus. The northern reservoir is deep and vast, while the southern reservoir is famous for the fact that hotels, as well as mineral extraction factories, have been built on its banks. Now the southern reservoir is completely controlled by industrial companies.
There, on the southern lake, there are thermal springs with unique properties with healing black mud: it is known that many centuries ago King Herod was treated here.
The Dead Sea area, whose interesting facts have attracted scientists, is being actively studied by health care companies. The water is unique due to the increased concentration of enriched minerals. The atmosphere is exceptionally clean - there are no pollen or allergens. Greater depth contributes to less solar ultraviolet radiation. Natural conditions also maintain the balance of pressure that is optimal for the body.
Due to its minerals and salinity, the Dead Sea and its mud deposits have a positive effect on health. Tourists from all over the world come here to treat diseases of the pulmonary and respiratory systems; treatment of the stomach and related organs is successfully practiced here. Staying in this unique area allows you to improve your metabolism and rejuvenate your skin. It is believed that air, water and minerals have an amazing composition and prevent cell aging: this fact is intensively used by cosmetologists when developing new cosmetics.
6. Inside the Sedom salt mountain, located 135 meters below sea level, tourists can visit the large Malham Cave. Along the way, travelers are treated to amazing views - these are salt crystals in various shapes and natural structures. Speleologists often visit the cave, but doctors do not recommend staying there for long: there is a high risk of rapid dehydration.
7. The next interesting fact about the Dead Sea is the reduced level of ultraviolet radiation: it is extremely difficult to get sunburn here when tanning. This allows even people unprepared for the active beach season to be in the sun at any time of the day.
8. The Bible repeatedly writes about the lake: it is mentioned as the refuge of King David. The story of Lot and his family is also connected with this sea. Leaving the dying Sodom, Lot's wife turned around, which was strictly forbidden by God. After that, it became a pillar of salt, which has remained on the seashore to this day.
9. An unusual feature of the reservoir is its ability to form special natural asphalt on the surface. The tiny black pieces resemble molten magma. Collecting this substance is quite simple - due to the salt in the water, pieces of asphalt always float on the surface of the water. History has preserved data that the Egyptians used this asphalt to mummify the dead.
10. On the shore of the lake you can see a picturesque abandoned water amusement park and the skeletons of old boats, a grove of dead palm trees and a destroyed ship dock, the ruins of a labor camp and the remains of furniture covered with a layer of salt.
11. Scientists noticed that the water level is gradually decreasing, and extensive funnels and faults are formed on the bottom protruding from the water. A research buoy floats in the middle of the lake.
12. The lowest highway is laid along the shore of the reservoir and the Jordan River: the depth of the road is 393 meters.
13. The air near a reservoir sometimes heats up to extreme temperatures, but despite this, the air is enriched with oxygen. The air masses arriving here are formed over the Indian Ocean and overcome a many-kilometer strip of desert lands, where they are purified naturally.
14. Contrary to assumptions, many small organisms live in the water of the lake. These are the world's oldest moldy fungi, which settled on the bottom long before the salt level in the water increased. There are also viruses living in the sea that are perfectly adapted to this concentration of salt, but they do not pose a danger to humans.
To see the Dead Sea with your own eyes and enjoy the spectacle of the salt lake, improve your health and relax, just apply for a ticket to the travel company website.
This is an extensive catalog of any country for holidays and travel at reasonable prices and on the best terms. Operators take care of each client, offering interesting routes, helping to book hotels and air tickets to all corners of the earth, and providing comprehensive information support.
DEAD SEA, an endorheic salt lake located in Israel and Jordan. Water area – 1050 sq. km, length - 76 km, maximum width - 17 km, maximum depth - 356 m. The lake is located in the lowest part of the meridional rift depression El Ghor (Ghor), the bottom of which is below ocean level for more than 200 km. Within the depression, also below ocean level, is Lake Tiberias, through which the river flows. Jordan, flowing into the Dead Sea from the north. The surface of the Dead Sea is 408 m below sea level. This is the lowest place on land. The Dead Sea has no drainage, and all the water coming from the Jordan River is lost through evaporation. The water in the lake is transparent, blue-green in color, and its density varies between 1.172 and 1.227 g/cm 3 . There are two separate basins in the Dead Sea basin; the northern part is the deepest, while in the southern part, which accounts for approximately 1/3 of the area, the depth does not exceed 10 m. At the junction of these basins, the El Lisan Peninsula extends deeply into the water area from the east; here the width of the lake is only 4 km. From the west and east, the Dead Sea is surrounded by mountains, often forming high (up to 750–1200 m) steep coastal ledges. The greatest relative elevations of the relief are in the southeast, where at a distance of approx. A peak with a height of 1627 m rises 9 km from the coast. The maximum average monthly air temperature in July is 37.8 ° C in the north and 40 ° C in the south, and the absolute recorded maximum is 50.6 ° C. The average annual precipitation is 75–100 mm. Due to strong evaporation, the level of the Dead Sea fluctuates throughout the year with an amplitude of 60–90 cm.
The Dead Sea ranks second in salinity in the world after the lake. Van in Turkey. Its waters are practically lifeless, and the surrounding area is deserted. The high mineralization of the water is explained by intense evaporation and the presence of salt-bearing rocks at the bottom of the lake. Dissolved mineral salts are approx. 24% of the volume of water (for comparison, we point out that in ordinary sea water their content is less than 4%). The chemical composition of salts contains the following elements and compounds: chlorine – 67.66%; bromine – 1.98%; sulfate – 0.22%; sodium – 10.2%; potassium – 1.6%; calcium – 1.51%; magnesium – 16.8%. Potassium chloride and bromine are extracted from the waters of the Dead Sea.
In ancient literature (Josephus and Tacitus) there is information about shipping on the Dead Sea in ancient times, although it was called differently: in the Talmud - the Sea of Sodom; in the New Testament - the Salt or Eastern Sea; Josephus calls it Asphalt Lake. Nowadays in Arab countries this sea is usually referred to as Bahr Lut, or “Sea of Lot”. The biblical accounts of Abraham and Lot and the destruction of cities date back to ancient times. David was hiding on the western shore of the Dead Sea in En Gedi. The idea that the waters of the Dead Sea swallowed up the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah dates back to the works of Josephus. A special expedition was equipped to search for these cities in 1924. According to her reports, the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah and Zoar were located on the southeastern shore of the lake.