Asphalt Springs Since Biblical Times, Near the Dead Sea

Despite the harsh environmental conditions in the desert, throughout history there were famous settlements here: Sodom and Gomorrah, Jericho, Ein Gedi mentioned in the book of Joshua as one of the six desert cities of the tribe of Judah, Ein Bokek from the Roman period, Masada of course and other settlements. So how did they exist here, what was their income sources, what motivated them to stay in this hot desert place? We know about Ein Gedi, Ein Bokek, Jericho and the cultivation of the Afarsimon for producing perfumes, but it turns out that there was an extensive industry here around the name of the stream; Hemar, which in English means – Asphalt. For more information in English visit - https://historicalsitesinisrael.com/e... For more information in Hebrew visit - https://historicalsitesinisrael.com/%... Yehuda Holtzman #historicalsitesinisrael #tar #asphalt #deadsea