The Tim Timna National Park, na Valley, southern Israel , copper ore, mines, Timna mushroom, Timna Valley
The Timna Valley is located in southern Israel in the southwestern Arava/Arabah, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the Gulf of Aqaba and the city of Eilat. The area is rich in copper ore and has been mined since the 5th millennium BCE. There is controversy whether the mines were active during the famous biblical united Kingdom of Israel and its second ruler, King Solomon.[1]
A large section of the valley, containing ancient remnants of copper mining and ancient worship, is encompassed in a recreation park (for website see here).
In July 2011, the Israeli government approved the construction of an in the Timna Valley.[2]Copper mining[edit]
Copper has been mined in the area since the 6th or 5th millennium BCE.[3] Archaeological excavation indicates that the copper mines in Timna Valley were probably part of the Kingdom of Edom and worked by the Edomites, described as biblical foes of the Israelites,[4] during the 10th century BCE, the period of biblical King Solomon.[5] Mining continued by the Israelites and Nabataeans through to the 1st and 2nd centuries CE during the Roman period, and then, after the 7th-century Arab conquest, by the Ummayad Caliphate, until the copper ore became scarce.[6]
The copper was used for ornaments, but more importantly for stone cutting, as saws, in conjunction with sand.[7]
Oldest regional findings of domesticated camels[edit]
The recent excavations dating copper mining to the 10th century BCE also discovered what may be the earliest camel bones with signs of domestication found in Israel or even outside the Arabian peninsula, dating to around 930 BCE. This is seen as evidence by the excavators that the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Jacob and Esau were written or rewritten after this time, seeing that the Biblical books frequently reference travelling with caravans of domesticated camels.[8][9]
Modern history
Timna Valley is notable for its uncommon stone formations and sand. Although predominantly red, the sand can be yellow, orange, grey, dark brown, or black. Light green or blue sand occurs near the copper mines. Water and wind erosion have created several unusual formations that are only found in similar climates.[6]
Solomon's Pillars[edit]
The Mushroom.
Hoodoo in Timna Park.
The most striking and well-known formation in Timna Valley are Solomon's Pillars. The pillars are natural structures that were formed by centuries of water erosion through fractures in the sandstone cliff until it became a series of distinct, pillar-shaped structures.[6]
American archaeologist Nelson Glueck caused a surge of attention for the pillars in the 1930s. He claimed that the pillars were related to King Solomon and gave them the name "Solomon's Pillars".[citation needed] Although his hypothesis lacked support and has not been accepted, the name stuck, and the claim gave the valley the attention that helped bring about the excavations and current national park.
The pillars are known as the backdrop for evening concerts and dance performances the park presents in the summer.[15]
Mushroom[edit]
The Arches.
The Mushroom is an unusual monolithic, mushroom-shaped, red sandstone rock formation known as a hoodoo. The mushroom shape was caused by wind, humidity, and water erosion over centuries.[15] The Mushroom is surrounded by copper ore smelting sites from between the 14th and 12th centuries BCE.[6]
Arches[edit]
The Arches are natural arches formed by erosion, as well, and can be seen along the western cliff of the valley. Arches are not as rare as Solomon's Pillars and the Mushroom, and similar structures can be found in elsewhere in the world. The walking trail that goes to the Arches also goes past the copper mine shafts.[6]
Archaeology
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