by Jacline La Fleche

After visiting Israel from Haifa, I continued in the direction of the Dead Sea, the "sea of salt," as it is known in Hebrew and the one-time site of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by divine wrath, according to the Bible. Imagine a desert in shades of ochre, red and gold, edged here and there by mountains or unexpected oases, with date palms along your path...

Imagine this immense expanse of turquoise and opal water from which large blocks of salt emerge like marble statues...

You're on the shores of the Dead Sea, bathed in sunshine year-round, 410 meters below sea level: the lowest point on the globe - and the saltiest sea on earth. What's more, it's impossible to sink, because you can only float.

Nowhere else on earth is there such a high density of mineral salts that can be used for medical or industrial uses as in the water of the Dead Sea; consequently no other biological life - except man - is found here.

The water's composition is unique because it contains the highest levels of magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium in the world, much higher than that of the oceans.

There are 22 more minerals in the water of the Dead Sea than are found anywhere else, obtained from the mud, water and high saline concentration. Among them are silica, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, alumina, bromides, etc.

Did you know that Cleopatra was an aficionado of Dead Sea mud baths to preserve her milky white complexion?
For many people, the Dead Sea evokes pages of history in which King David, King Herod, Jesus and John the Baptist came to bathe in its waters. It is said that even Cleopatra became a business executive, holding exclusive rights to build workshops specialized in the production of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products on the shores of the Dead Sea. It was here that bitumen was discovered, essential to the mummification process.

The curative properties of the Dead Sea and the surrounding springs have been known for thousands of years. Recent medical discoveries have proven that bromium and magnesium are helpful in treating certain skin diseases (such as psoriasis), while sulfurous springs are recommended for certain kinds of rheumatism. Twelve minerals found here occur in no other sea or ocean; some are known for their calming or nourishing properites or for treating certain circulatory ailments.