A human history of one of the most famous lakes on earth and the civilisations that surrounded its shores. The Dead Sea is a place of many contradictions. The hot springs around the lake are famous for their healing properties, even though the water is deadly to most living things - and yet civilisations have built ancient cities and mountain fortresses on its shores for centuries. The protagonists of this history are not only Jews and Arabs, but also Greeks, Nabataeans, Romans, Crusaders and Mamluks. Today it has become a tourist hotspot, but its dry basin is increasingly under threat. In this book, Nir Arielli explores the history of the Dead Sea from the first Neolithic settlements to the present day. Travelling through the centuries, Arielli reveals the religious, economic, military and scientific importance of the lake, which has been both a source of great wealth and a theatre of war. "The Dead Sea" weaves a tapestry of human stories about the lake - and in the midst of environmental degradation and new conflicts, provides a compelling argument for why the lake should be saved.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Arielli, Nir
Title
The Dead Sea. A 10,000-Year History
Details
English text, 24 bw- and colour illustrations on plates. 287 pages.
State
new
Yale University Press 47 Bedford Square London WC1B 3DP Vereinigtes Königreich
