Page 28 - Discover Israel Magazine - UK edition 2019

The new airport in Ovda
using mechanical tools and mining the
mineral from the sand. The copper mineral
is called Turquoise and is of an azure blue
colour. In Eilat, at the jewellery shops, you
will often find precious gems in these colours. the famous copper mineral that can be found
After collecting the minerals, the ancient
Timna workers proceeded to meld them in a
furnace. In order to streamline this process,
they established kilns which utilised bellows
to light the oven, poured the minerals inside
them and then drained the copper liquid into
stone pans in order to cast the purest copper
ingots. These copper ingots were traded
throughout the ancient world.
The findings resulting from the research
conducted in Timna teach us the importance
of the region during the time of King Judah’s
reign between 6 and 10 BCE. Timna quarries
were of great importance in the ancient
economy and determined ancient world
trade and trade routes. Timna, Arava and
Eilat were key trading routes between ancient
Mediterranean ports and Red Sea ports.
A recommended tour within Timna takes a
couple of hours, depending on the interests
and recreations preferred by visitors. Some
are satisfied solely with the viewpoints
overlooking the miraculous mountains, whilst
others would rather observe Solomon’s
Pillars, The Mushroom and arch formations.
On the other hand, history buffs would rather
visit the ancient sites, while others tend to
incorporate many of the walking trails that
Tima has to offer into their visit.
The Timna Valley, and many of the unique
rocks within it, were created by a geological
process, spanning millions of years. Every
family type of rock on earth has been
exposed in Timna: igneous granite, ancient
continental sedimentary rock such as
sandstone, household chemical rocks such
as chalk, and younger drift rocks. The rich
diversity exists due to the unique geological
activity in the region.
The formation of the Arava canyon, which is
part of the Syrian – African break, along with
water erosion, are two factors which led to
the exposure of deep rooted ancient rocks
alongside younger ones. These effects are
breathtaking, especially when travelling in
areas occupied by Solomon’s Pillars, The
Mushroom and the arch formations. These
rock formations were created by the power
of water and discrepancies in the hardness
D I S C O V E R I S R A E L 28
and strength of the rock layers which brought
about the variety of impressive shapes.
Colours in the sandstone belong to the
composition of minerals in the rock, including
in the park.
There is a modern visitors centre at the park’s
entrance, which features a movie explaining
the history of the area, a museum display, a
coffee house, a restaurant and, of course, all
the information you will need for a perfect stay
at the park.
A Short trail to the Red Canyon
Hiking enthusiasts can enjoy a spectacular
hike in the Red Canyon. A half hour drive
from the city of Eilat on Route 12 and you’ve
reached beautiful nature. Rocks with red,
black and pink tinge create a unique view and
make for a lovely hike. Walking the circular
route takes roughly an hour and a half and
includes an entrance to the canyon through
the ancient sandstone formations, which are
riddled with small, dry waterfalls, and require
the use of pegs embedded in the rock to ease
one’s decent. The canyon was formed from
millions of years of water erosion, a process
that slowly breaks them up, and then desert
floods withered the rocks to from the canyon.
Along the trail, impressively tall Acacia trees
offer shade to the wild animals and hikers.
The Acacia trees are the central and most
important habitat in the desert, surrounded
by ecological activity, insects, birds and
mammals which flock to the trees for food
and shade.
The opening of the new Ramon
International Airport in April 2019 near
Park Timna, which is adjacent to the city
of Eilat, will allow visitors and tourists
to enjoy a sun filled vacation in Eilat,
indulge in spa treatments at the Dead Sea,
and explore the Negev desert attractions
via cheap and direct flights from many
European cities. This desert experience
offers the European tourist a visit to the
beach in Eilat, dining at restaurants,
shopping and a bustling nightlife, along
with walking and bike trails, breathtaking
observation points atop the edges of the
Negev craters, a rich archaeological
history on the Nabateans in the Negev,
agriculture tours, fascinating interactions
with locals, star gazing, body and soul
wellness workshops, and many other
options.
Hike at sunrise or sunset
Mount Slate is located in the southern part
of the city of Eilat, along the coral beach
nature reserve and atop the field school of the
society for nature protection. The short trail,
which starts at the camel ranch and reaches
the peak of Mount Slate, is the perfect hike.
The great bonus is the viewpoint overlooking
the gulf of Eilat from which you can see four
countries: Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and,
of course, Israel. The best time to visit the
observation deck is at dawn, so you can enjoy
watching the sun rise over the mountains
of Edom, although those seeking a striking
landscape would prefer to visit at sunset.
The top of the Gulf of Eilat and a view
from Mount Tzfachot. Photo: Yoni Shtern