Synopsis of day: Dead Sea Pleasures
Spiritual Sites visited: Masada (if that counts – it certainly counts as a significant historical site), Qumran.
Highlight of the day: MASADA. The view was spectacular and I went crazy with taking photos and notes and getting resources in prep for the year 11 Ancient site study for next year.
Lowlight of the day: The stinging sensation on my neck from the saltiness of the Dead Sea.
Favourite quote/word: “What would you do?” from the dodgy intro video to Masada. Complete with suss facial expression.
Favourite photo: Panoramic Masada shots, though I took one of the Dead Sea when we were on the bus that I liked.
Cultural-shock moment: The Dead Sea. It was even different from what I had anticipated and the mud was so slippery. The floating above water was a bit uncomfortable because I really didn't want to put my head near it so my body was at an awkward angle. I think I enjoyed the experience more than Kerri (same as with the cable car at Masada).
New food consumed: Grapefruit Fanta. Really just like a bland lemon squash. Favourite purchase: An archaeological book on Masada.
The thing I lost today: my ipod but that was just at the bottom of my bag underneath all my swimming stuff for the Dead Sea.
Random act of crazy: The Dread Pirate Tourist. I can honestly think of better uses for a guide to Masada than a pirate/captain hat.
Something I want to remember: The colours of the Dead Sea as it glistened from my view atop Masada.
Are you sensing a theme here? I loved Masada. I'm really excited about teaching it as a site study. I'd done some research in Australia on the site and not found that much about it, but I know heaps now! The site was originally a fortress for Herod the Great (because frankly he wasn't in the running for Most Popular King Around) and then later more famously the site of the mass suicide of Jewish rebels following the revolt in 73AD.
Ballista from the Romans
Looking down towards the site of one of the Roman camps.
(Square in the top half centre)
Part of the Byzantine monastery.
Josephus records the event though it was largely out of the Jewish conscientiousness until after the Holocaust. Since then it has been touted as a resistance to oppression and an act of liberty (and lauded probably equally to Gallipoli, though it too was hardly a resounding success).
Here on the other side from where we came, you can see the ramp the Romans built so that they could end the siege and breach Masada. This was the death knell for the men of Masada, who had committed to end the lives of their family and then turn on themselves rather than face Roman imprisonment.
We love Masada!
(But apparently not as much as we love taking self-portraits).
The weather was perfect and the hill (though that seems almost an insult it was so huge) on which Masada is located stood out. We saw a brief intro video (or most people did, I was madly jotting down notes and I must see the Peter O'Toole film – it looked fabulously 50s) before ascending to the summit via cable car (and Kerri definitely did not enjoy this).
Because the Jews associate Masada with freedom and the Hannukah festival has a similar theme for the Hasmoneans/Maccabeans, there were school groups and more family groups at the site than is common. There was still plenty of room around, except for one section where some people were doing re-enactments in dodgy costumes. We've seen these in a number of museums and sites, and largely it involves tumbling around the place and attacking each other to the bemusement of small children. (I'm starting to agree with Kerri's assessment that hitting each other is a favourite activity of young kids around here – there's been many examples). The fortress itself has palace complexes which were transformed in the time of the rebels to more everyday living quarters. Ballistas and other ammunition stood in stark contrast to the living quarters of the Jews. The hypocaust system in the bath houses was in excellent condition. Herod apparently brought the bath to the Middle East – woot for that accomplishment.
After we came back down the cable car, we were able to look at the new museum for Masada, which showcased a number of finds along with iron casts of Jews and Romans in different guises. It would have been very engaging for a younger audience and I really liked viewing them too actually. The museum was quite dark probably to help preserve the artefacts. We then followed on to Qumran which after Masada was not nearly as interesting. I did enjoy hearing about the Essene community who lived there, and of the different theories that Jesus and John the Baptist could have fit the profiles. It was easy to see why finding the Dead Sea Scrolls was such an accidental discovery, and I was looking forward to seeing samples of it the next day when we were to visit the Israel Museum.
Qumran from the Essene community site.
Cave 4, where most of the scrolls were found.
Named for chronological discovery.
The day was drawing closer to an end by that time and the weather was not so clear as we made our way towards a beach of the Dead Sea. It was a very strange experience even looking at the very European beach setting, and ahead to the people who had already immersed themselves in the water and started dousing themselves in mud.
It was a bit comical and became even worse when Kerri and I were in. The temperature was fine but the mud on the ground was incredibly slippery. I was finding it so entertaining to see others treading carefully and sliding but then I slipped over and things didn't improve. Others also slipped and the spectacle of a number of us trying to enter the water drew the laughter of all those who sat on the shoreline, and also of the lifeguard who ended up using the loudspeaker telling us how to enter. The guidelines on the shore warned us not to drink the water or to get it near our eyes (though in the event, “lie down and eventually the burning will pass”). Once when I slipped some fell into my mouth, and I can say very salty doesn't even cover it. The floating above the water and the stinging on various parts of my body started almost instantly. Kerri and I had some temporary rashes from the water. However the experience itself was so novel I didn't mind. It was very difficult to move around without my shoes falling off and head going under (both highly not recommended) and there were many giggles all round, except when the odd person got some water near their face. It felt great on the bus afterwards and we were very relaxed.
It was our latest evening back and by the time we returned, there was only time for dinner and bed basically. Again I was well and truly out of it.
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