Description
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.
About the Author
Nir Arielli is professor of international history at the University of Leeds. He is the author of From Byron to bin Laden: A History of Foreign War Volunteers and Fascist Italy and the Middle East. He has also written contemporary political commentary for the Globe Post, Haaretz, and the Conversation.
Reviews
"This is a fascinating and highly readable account of the Dead Sea from remote geological ages to the present. Arielli demonstrates the importance of the Dead Sea throughout history, ending with the current environmental and political crisis created by the dramatic drop in its water level."-Jodi Magness, author of Jerusalem through the Ages
"Arielli has written a magisterial survey of one of the most fascinating regions on the planet, exhaustively researched and clearly expressed. The Dead Sea is an eloquent call to arms to conserve this unique but vanishing geological feature before it is too late."-James Fergusson, author of In Search of the River Jordan
"The demise of the Dead Sea is a man-made disaster that requires cooperation to reverse. Arielli's extensive research on the Dead Sea's religious, environmental, economic and conflict dimensions is a must read for anyone interested in joining the effort to save this natural wonder."-Gidon Bromberg, Israel Director, EcoPeace Middle East
Book Information
ISBN 9780300259421
Author Nir Arielli
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
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.
About the Author
Nir Arielli is professor of international history at the University of Leeds. He is the author of From Byron to bin Laden: A History of Foreign War Volunteers and Fascist Italy and the Middle East. He has also written contemporary political commentary for the Globe Post, Haaretz, and the Conversation.
Reviews
"This is a fascinating and highly readable account of the Dead Sea from remote geological ages to the present. Arielli demonstrates the importance of the Dead Sea throughout history, ending with the current environmental and political crisis created by the dramatic drop in its water level."-Jodi Magness, author of Jerusalem through the Ages
"Arielli has written a magisterial survey of one of the most fascinating regions on the planet, exhaustively researched and clearly expressed. The Dead Sea is an eloquent call to arms to conserve this unique but vanishing geological feature before it is too late."-James Fergusson, author of In Search of the River Jordan
"The demise of the Dead Sea is a man-made disaster that requires cooperation to reverse. Arielli's extensive research on the Dead Sea's religious, environmental, economic and conflict dimensions is a must read for anyone interested in joining the effort to save this natural wonder."-Gidon Bromberg, Israel Director, EcoPeace Middle East
Book Information
ISBN 9780300259421
Author Nir Arielli
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
