This place attracts tourists from around the world to experience a unique phenomenon: floating on the water’s surface even without knowing how to swim… But that’s not all; the Dead Sea holds many other intriguing secrets.
Contrary to its name, which evokes a sense of gloom, the scenery of the Dead Sea is quite serene. The water of the Dead Sea has a sharp salty taste, and if it comes into contact with the eyes, it creates quite a stinging sensation.
The Dead Sea – a name that originates from the fact that no living creature can survive in these excessively salty waters. The high salt concentration also prevents people from sinking, due to a buoyant force in the water, explained by Archimedes’ principle.
Serene scenery at the Dead Sea (Photo: touristjordan)
The salinity of the Dead Sea is about 10 times higher than that of regular seawater. However, there are no mineral salt deposits at the bottom of the Dead Sea. The salinity here comes from layers of salt sediments that have accumulated over thousands of years, from salty water sources that flowed in and then evaporated.
The Dead Sea has been known to humanity since ancient times. Although called the Dead Sea, it is actually a closed saltwater lake, not connected to any ocean. The salty water, primarily coming from the Jordan River, cannot escape. Salt and minerals accumulate over time as the water evaporates.
Mr. Quitaiba (a local Jordanian) shared: “The Dead Sea contains many special minerals. Our people, when suffering from ailments, especially skin diseases or body odor, just need to come here to bathe. The Dead Sea will heal everything.”
What makes the Dead Sea unique is that it is the lowest point on the Earth’s surface. The water level of the Dead Sea is 430 meters below normal sea level. This is also why bathing in the Dead Sea is believed to be invigorating and less likely to cause sunburn, as the depth significantly reduces harmful UV rays from the sun.
Although the Dead Sea water contains many salts and minerals, locals advise that one should not bathe in the Dead Sea for too long, and afterwards, it is necessary to rinse off immediately with fresh water. Particularly, when bathing in the Dead Sea, avoid wearing metal jewelry, except for 24k gold. The high salinity of the Dead Sea can easily damage metal jewelry.
