MASADA, QUMRAN, AND THE DEAD SEA

On January 13, we boarded the bus to travel east, then south of Jerusalem across the Judaean desert to the Dead Sea area.

View of Masada from the road

Model of Masada showing the upper and lower buildings

First stop.....Masada.  High on a butte (1300 feet above the plain) near the south end of the Dead Sea stands Masada.  Originally built as a palace for Herod the Great.  Because of the difficulty to ascend to the top, Masada provided safety for its inhabitants.

And, it was self sufficient.  Water was provided by nearby springs.  Elaborate gardens provided fruits and vegetables.  Stables housed the goats and chickens.  Extensive food store rooms were cooled to almost freezing temperatures.  It is believed that Masada could store food for up to two years.


There were plenty of accommodations for the guards.  Herod would have all the luxuries of a king's palace... bath and sauna, swimming pool, verandas with expansive views.

In 70 AD, a group of Jewish rebels occupied Masada, fending off the Roman army for months.  Finally, the Romans built a massive ramp to access the western face.  When they entered Masada, they found all 900 + inhabitants had committed mass suicide rather than be enslaved and/or tortured by the Romans.

What a fantastic view (the landscape, too)

Steam Bath.  Intricate system with hot
water below the floor, and steam rising
through clay tubes in the walls.

Egyptian Wine Jar
(Will that be Cabernet, or Chardonnay?)  

Our guide told us that, as part of their early training, all Israeli military must visit and study at Masada.  This is to remind them of their heritage, and that they must fight to the death for their cause.

Accessing Masada today is available by Gondola or hiking.  As our time was short (and I'm not in that great of shape, anyway), we opted for the 5 minute ride in the Gondola.

Almost 1000 rebels lived in this oasis in the middle of the Judaean desert.  Reflecting on the notion that they would take their own lives, and the lives of their wives and children, rather than be enslaved was troubling to me.  Would I have taken the same path?  

One of many Ritual Baths
found throughout Qumran

On to Qumran, the area where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  Qumran is believed to have been inhabited by the Essenes, a Jewish sect who sought to find purity as they viewed the mainstream religious leaders to be corrupt.  Throughout the site are found Ritual Baths, suggesting that they may have practiced multiple daily purifications.

Qumran had a sophisticated water system.
This is a small aqueduct water supply.

There are some who believe that John the Baptist spent a year or more at Qumran with the Essenes.
The Essenes lived in caves surrounding the main working area, spent their time in prayer and in writing, and are credited with writing the Dead Sea Scrolls.   It is believed that the Essenes hid the scrolls in their caves when they saw the Romans coming to invade.

Replicas of the vessels that held the
Dead Sea Scrolls

One of the caves in which the Essenes may have lived

The first scroll was found in 1947 by a Bedouin shepherd boy when he was looking for a lost goat.  He thought the goat was in a cave, so he threw a stone into the dark cave.  No goat came out, but he heard the stone break something odd.  He brought his friend back to the cave, and they went inside together to find the vessel that housed a scroll.  They took the scroll to a souvenir dealer in Bethlehem, who gave them 5 shekels for the scroll.  When the boy's father heard about it, he visited the souvenir dealer, and was given another 94 shekels.

Mud Bath in the Dead SeaNext, a dip in the Dead Sea!!

Next, a dip in the Dead Sea!!!

The Dead Sea is 1400 feet BELOW sea level, and the lowest place on earth.  It is rich in salt and minerals.  Fish and other living organisms can not survive in its waters, hence the "Dead Sea".  For thousands of years, visitors have come to bath, believing the waters to have healing qualities.  Several cosmetic companies provide Dead Sea products to promote health and beauty.

The water is so rich in minerals that
you can't sink in the Dead Sea

The air temperature was in the low 60's, but the water temperature seemed to be in the high 60's to low 70's.  It was a refreshing respite from our regular travels.

Plus, the mud took 10 pounds off me, don't you think??

Ginger as a Camel Jockey

On the way back to Jerusalem, we stopped for a quick (and I mean QUICK) camel ride.

Ginger's new not so secret admirer

For $5, the camel takes you around the parking lot.  OK, it was a tourist trap.  But, it provided a lot of laughs and entertainment.









Once again, my bride was the "belle of the ball".  Even the camels were enamored with her beauty.  Check out the camel who couldn't resist planting a BIG WET kiss on her.







Tired, and now with smiles and tales to tell, we made our way back to Jerusalem for dinner and rest.