Subject: JUICE Geography 4 - Eilat
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 00:50:05 +0000
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: JUICE Administration <juice@virtual.co.il>
To: geography@virtual.co.il
Subject: JUICE Geography 4
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World Zionist Organization
Student and Academics Department
Jewish University In CyberspacE
birnbaum@jer1.co.il juice@jer1.co.il
http://www.jer1.co.il/gate/juice
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Course: Biblical Geography
Lecture: 4/12
Lecturer: Robin Treistman
Eilat (Etzion Gaver)
When one thinks of Eilat, the southernmost city of Israel, what
comes to mind is sun and fun. In addition to the snorkeling,
scuba diving, boating, tanning and general "leisuring," Eilat
together with the surrounding area actually has vast historical
significance. The modern city of Eilat is located at the
northernmost point of the Gulf of Aqaba (also known as the Gulf
of Eilat), which is the eastern "finger" of the Red Sea. The city
which doubles as a vacation resort and a port city is actually
the gateway to Egypt (and North Africa), to Central and South
Africa, and to the Arabian Peninsula. On the Jordanian side of
the border lies Eilat's "twin" city, Aqaba, also a resort and
port city.
In the Bible, two other city names are identified with Eilat:
Eilot and Etzion Gaver (or Gever). The three names are used
interchangeably in the Bible, but in Post-Biblical history, any
reference to Etzion-Gaver is dropped. It is possible that Eilat
and Etzion Gaver were two neighboring towns in Biblical times or
that Etzion-Gaver referred only to the port while Eilat referred
to the neighboring city. Today, the ruins that are identified
with Etzion Gaver lie east of Israel's border with Jordan, 550
meters from the shore, half way between the west and east ends
of the Gulf on a site called Tel El Kheleifah. There are other
expert archaeological opinions suggesting that the port of
Etzion-Gaver lies elsewhere, namely on a small island called
Jazirat Far'un (also called Coral Island, in the Gulf
approximately 14 km south of Eilat). In post-Biblical times,
settlement moved from Etzion-Gaver to Aila, several meters to the
east of Tel El Kheleifah and almost directly on the shore of the
Gulf.
Another area that plays a significant role in this region is the
Timna Valley, 28 km north of Eilat. Timna has always been
associated with copper mining. It is the copper (and iron) from
the Timna valley which was exploited for trade, most of which
happened from the port of Etzion Gaver. (See below). Today, one
may travel to the Timna valley and visit the ruins of ancient
copper mines and refineries. The geological formations, such as
Solomon's Pillars and the "Mushroom" in Timna are also attractive
sites for hikers.
Before continuing on with the Biblical history, I must make a
note about this lecture. This extensive area - from the Southern
Arava to Eilat - is only sporadically mentioned in the Bible. It
is the archaeological findings, coupled with the Biblical
passages, that complete the picture for us today of what most
likely went on in Biblical times. The archaeological
documentation is vast, detailed, and somewhat confusing when
delving into the sometimes conflicting opinions of the
researchers. Throughout the lecture, I will be presenting the
findings only in the form of a summary. Furthermore, I do adopt
the more accepted opinion and build the lecture around it
(namely, that Ezion-Gaver is located on the coast and not on an
island). If you wish to see more details, you will find the
references in the bibliography.
BIBLICAL HISTORY
There are two other early city names in the Bible that are
identified with the area of Eilat. One, Eil Paran, was the Horite
city in the area before and until Abraham's time (Genesis 14;6).
Later, the city fell to the lot of the descendants of Esau,
Jacob's brother. The whole region of Esau, called Edom (or Se'ir)
lies in present southwest Jordan with its southern border at
Eilah. The Edomite prince of Eilah is listed along with the
princes of other Edomite cities in Genesis 36;41 and Chronicles
I 1;52. Later, during the wanderings of the Israelites in the
desert, the city of Etzion-Gaver is listed as the thirty-first
place of encampment (Numbers 33;35-36). A more detailed account
of passing through this area is found in Deuteronomy 2;2-8 where
God commanded Moses to lead the people peacefully through Edom
where they may purchase food and water. At that point, there is
reference to Eilat and Etzion-Gaver demonstrating the rule of
Edom over that area. The region, including Eilat (Eilah) remained
in Edomite hands until King David conquered Edom in the beginning
of the 9th century BCE (Samuel II 8;14).
After King David's death, the Israelite Kingdom which was
inherited by his son, Solomon, was the largest it had ever been.
It is no wonder that King Solomon's reign was considered the
"Golden Age" of Israel: During his time, the secure borders
enabled King Solomon to attend to domestic matters. It was at
this time that 1) the first Temple was built in Jerusalem along
with other administrative buildings (Kings I 5-7); 2) Solomon
reinforced his army adding to it fleets of horses and chariots
(Kings I 5;6 and 9;19); 3) Solomon also built and fortified many
new cities including Hazor, Gezer and Megiddo (Kings I 9;15-19).
However, the undertaking most relevant to Eilat was Israel's new
position at the center of world trade - not only did much
commerce pass through the kingdom, but King Solomon took
additional measures to establish, fortify, and expand his
enterprises.
Along with the description of the kingdom is a one-verse summary
of Solomon's maritime ventures: "And King Solomon made (a fleet
of) ship(s) in Etzion Gaver which is at Eilot on the coast of the
Red Sea in the Land of Edom" (Kings I 9;26). In passing, this
verse can seem less significant next to some of the king's other
achievements. However, a closer look at this port city of Etzion
Gaver along with his socio-political situation shows that this
is no small feat. Etzion Gaver, the trade routes that pass by or
through it, and the ships that carried merchandise to and from
there were all part of a massive international operation
organized by King Solomon.
For example, a complementary passage in Chronicles II (8;17-18),
together with those in Kings I (9) illustrate the following
situation: Hiram, the King of Tyre entered into an economic
agreement with Solomon in which he sent his shipmakers and
maritime experts to Etzion Gaver to cooperate with Solomon's
workers and build a fleet. In further collaboration, they sailed
to Ophir (most likely the North coast of Somalia or the SW coast
of the Arabian Peninsula) and bought gold.
The following passages both in Kings I (10) and Chronicles II (9)
narrate the story of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon.
She arrived laden with luxurious goods, apparently as gifts for
Solomon. The land of Sheba (present-day Yemen) was known for its
exceptional position in world trade during that time. Reading
between the lines of the text, it becomes clear that the purpose
of the Queen's visit was the establishment of trade and trade
agreements between her country and the Kingdom of Israel.
We are left with a basic question: What was it that Solomon had
to offer these other countries in exchange for their commodities?
Nowhere does it mention HOW Solomon purchased gold in Ophir or
ivory for his throne (Kings I 10;18) or weaponry, perfumes,
spices, horses, or mules (Kings I 10;25).
There are three possible answers to this question. First is what
one can glean from the text: When reading through the verses, it
seems as though emissaries from around the world brought
extravagant gifts just for the opportunity to visit with Solomon
and witness his wealth and wisdom first-hand (refer to the story
of the Queen of Sheba [Kings I 10;1-10] and the mention of gifts
from other lands [Kings I 10;23-25]). These gifts could have been
the pooled assets which were traded away for other goods.
The second possibility lies in the verse in Kings I 10;15 which
qualifies the accounting in the previous verse by saying "Besides
the visiting salesmen and the trade of the peddlers..." This
verse sheds light on a common practice of the time (not unlike
one in our own time) which was the placement of a tariff, or
really a sales tax, on the sale of foreign items within a
country. Because of the trade boom, this customs-like tax was
likely to bring significant income into the King's treasury.
The third possibility of the source of the wealth will be
discussed here at length. In Deuteronomy (33;25), we see that
part of Jacob's blessings to his sons includes "Your locks (or
shoes) will be iron and copper..." Rashi explains that the land
of Israel is "locked" or surrounded by mountains from which
copper and iron will be mined for their economic benefit. A
geological and archaeological survey of the Southern Arava
reveals a fulfillment of this blessing. The discovery of the
ancient copper (and iron) mines and refineries at Timna which
date mostly to the time of Solomon points to an extensive copper
industry. Furthermore, it is possible that during that period,
copper was as valuable as gold - at least to the countries that
didn't have their own resources.
At this point, I must diverge for a few paragraphs and describe
a fascinating archaeological account: Nelson Glueck, who led and
then documented the excavations of Etzion Gaver (at Tel El
Kheleifah in 1938-40) presents a detailed report of the findings
and his (party's) interpretation of them. The language with which
he writes his records has almost the tone of an excited child,
as his findings are truly in accordance with the text of the
Bible. One of the enigmas which he attempts to solve is the
puzzling location of the site in such a climatically
disadvantaged spot, namely a powerful and constant wind-tunnel
with accompanying sandstorms. A kilometer to the right or to the
left, this phenomenon doesn't exist - only at the very position
of the tel. Based on careful study of the central building,
Glueck speculated that the site was home to the first-of-its-kind
naturally-powered (by wind) smelting furnace to purify the copper
that was brought there from the nearby copper mines at Timna.
There were many copper and iron nuggets as well as all sorts of
carefully formed artifacts inside and around the building. All
of this led Glueck to conclude that the raw materials were
brought from the mines to the smelter at Etzion Gaver where they
were purified. Afterwards, they were either packed onto the boats
as is or were given to local artisans for further work. Either
way, the copper or iron goods were shipped abroad in exchange for
the other merchandise that was mentioned in the Bible.
Later archaeological surveys eventually put a damper on Glueck's
theory about the nature of the central building. First of all,
the refineries discovered at the Timna mines displaced the need
for one at Etzion Gaver. Second, the discovery of a chain of
fortifications along caravan routes north of Eilat toward the
north and west has prompted archaeological theorists (including
Glueck himself later on) to postulate that the main building in
Etzion Gaver was one such fortification intended to protect the
port and the trade routes' intersection there.
Putting all of the facts together, notwithstanding the nature of
the central building, Tel El Kheleifah was most likely the port
city of Etzion Gaver. From there, shiploads of copper and iron,
mined and refined at Timna, would set sail to the south and bring
back in exchange the goods mentioned in the Bible. Not only would
it be a center for shipping, but also a hub for international and
domestic caravan trade.
After the split of the kingdom (928 BCE), the tribe of Judah
ruled over the southern part of Israel including the land of Edom
and Etzion Gaver. Apparently, the flow of trade after Solomon's
death was reduced to a mere trickle. As seen in Kings I 22;49 and
Chronicles II 20;35-37, there was one attempt to revive the
foreign trade about 77 years after Solomon's death. King
Jehoshaphat, in conjunction with King Ahazia of Israel, prepared
a fleet of boats to sail to Ophir in pursuit of gold. However,
the fleet never set sail because the ships were destroyed by a
storm at Etzion Gaver (most likely by one like the powerful
sandstorms described by Nelson Glueck). When you read (please
do!) the two Biblical accounts of the same story, a contradictory
picture emerges. It is resolved by explaining the whole story
there as follows: Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah made a pact and
constructed the fleet at Etzion Gaver. Immediately afterwards,
the prophet Eliezer ben Dodavohu warned that God will destroy
anything that was accomplished through the pact. Subsequently,
the ships were rendered useless by the storm. Ahaziah wanted to
rebuild the fleet again, but that second time, Jehoshaphat
refused, apparently heeding God's word (Kings I 22;51).
During the reign of Jehoshaphat's son, Jehoram, Edom rebelled
against the Kingdom of Judah. Jehoram's attempts to quash the
rebellion ultimately failed resulting in the loss of dominion
over Edom, including Etzion Gaver (Kings II 8;20-22).
About 70 years later, (c. 775 BCE) King Amatzia of Judah regained
control over Edom (Kings II 14;7). His son, Uzziah (or Azariah)
rebuilt Eilat (Eilot) thus restoring international trade to Judah
(Kings II 14;21-22 and Chronicles II 26;1-2). Notice that the
port's name of Etzion Gaver isn't mentioned anymore. It is
possible that the rebuilt site was not built on top of but
immediately next to the ruins of the original city.
The final time that Eilat is lost from the Kingdom of Judah is
in the time of King Ahaz (about 45 years after it came under
Uzziah's rule). Judah was attacked by Rezin, King of Aram, who
allowed the Edomites to return to Eilat (Kings II 16;5-6).
Furthermore, it states in the verses that Aram ruled over the
Jews from or in Eilat, implying a continued Jewish presence at
the port city despite foreign rule.
POST-BIBLICAL HISTORY
Based on Nelson Glueck's findings, the last settlement at Tel El
Kheleifah dated from the 5th-4th centuries BCE. Afterwards, it
was abandoned while the next era of artifacts lies slightly east
at Aila. Throughout the first millennia CE, the area continued
to be of vital commercial importance. Whoever controlled it had
a certain monopoly on international trade, whether conducting the
trade itself or benefitting from taxes.
The control of the Edomites/Armenians in the area declined under
the rule of the Persians and then the Greeks. By the 3rd century
BCE, a new major force arose in the area, the Nabateans. The
origins of this people is somewhat unclear. It is assumed that
they were nomads in northern Arabia who eventually infiltrated
the area of southern Jordan, where they intermingled with
remnants of the former Edomite kingdom and assimilated the
Aramaic language. Over time (from the 3rd century BCE to 1st
century CE) they gained control over a major spice route
extending from their capital at Petra (in southern Jordan) to the
Mediterranean, crossing through the Negev. Offshoots of this
route included north and south roads intersecting at Aila. The
Nabateans enjoyed great financial success, as they controlled the
major land passes connecting the classical civilizations of the
West and the suppliers of incense, spices and other luxuries in
the East. Eventually, the Nabatean kingdom was annexed into the
Roman Empire in 106 CE.
Aila continued to be a major port city for the Roman and later
the Byzantine Empires, for both commercial and military purposes.
It is important to note that from the time of the final Edomite
rule of the area through the time of the Arab conquest (7th
Century CE) there was a continued Jewish presence in Aila, even
during the Nabatean rule. The community was apparently quite
small but well-established - to the point that when the Moslems
conquered Arabia, Jews expelled by Mohammed found refuge in Aila.
About that time, the city was renamed Aqaba, though the Jewish
inhabitants referred to it as Eilat. There were Jews living in
other settlements up and down the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba who
also earned a living in trade. One major piece of evidence about
Jewish life at the time is found in letters written by Mohammed
to four Jewish communities in or near Arabia, one of which was
Eilat. These letters, quoted by a 9th Century Moslem writer, were
essentially "contracts" explaining that these (Jewish)
communities could live peacefully under Moslem rule provided that
they paid their taxes properly. In addition to collecting the
taxes from the Jewish inhabitants, the Moslem governor was also
ordered to protect them - both in war situations and against
roaming bandits who interfered with their trade.
During the Crusades, the trade routes connecting Egypt to Syria
were essentially cut off. It was during this time that experts
suggest that the Jewish community in Eilat (and other cities in
the Gulf of Aqaba region) ceased to exist. Without the means to
support themselves (the trade route was their primary source of
income), the Jewish inhabitants most likely made their way west
(North Africa) or south (Yemen).
After the Crusader rule, which ended in 1170 CE, the trade routes
were opened once again. Saladin built a fortress in Aqaba, but
from then on the city began to decline. Despite its strategic and
commercial position, the town was mostly abandoned by the 14th
century.
Modern Eilat, which lies 5 km west of Aqaba (the site of ancient
Eilat), is built on a wasteland called Umm Rashrash. This area
was to be part of the Jewish State according to the UN Partition
Plan of 1947. During the War of Independence, Umm Rashrash was
taken by Israeli forces without a battle on March 13, 1949. The
first attempt at civilian settlement of the area was made in
December of that same year by the United Kibbutz Movement who set
up a camp on the shore. (In 1962, that settlement moved north to
become Kibbutz Eilot.) Until 1956, the Straits of Tiran (the
southern opening of the Gulf of Aqaba) were closed to Israel-
bound shipping. Once opened, the city grew, becoming a vital
commercial hub. The importance of Eilat was demonstrated in the
Six-Day War of 1967: One of the reasons that Israel went to war
was because of Egypt's reclosure of the Straits of Tiran. Today,
Eilat has 37,000 residents and is visited yearly by one and a
half million tourists.
Questions for further research and discussion:
1) What could be a plausible explanation for choosing to build
Etzion Gaver in such a climatically difficult spot? (Remember the
suggestion that the main building was used as a refinery was
revoked.)
2) Reread the verses in Kings I (10) and Chronicles II (9) which
describe the story of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon.
How do you understand the nature of this visit from the text?
3) How can you link the decline of the prominence of Eilat after
the fourteenth century with the events happening in general world
history?
References:
Bible and Biblical Commentaries
Aharoni, Y. (1963) "Eilat and Negev-Routes in the Biblical
Period" in _The 18th Conference for Land-of-Israel-Studies_
(Hebrew).
Bright, John _A History of Israel: Second Edition_, London: SCM
Press.
Cohen, Rudolph, (1988) "The Nabatean Spice Route in the Negev"
in _Israel Land and Nature_ 13(2).
Glueck, Nelson (1942) _The Excavations of Solomon's Seaport:
Ezion-Geber_. Washington: United States Government Printing
Office.
Hirshberg, H.Z. (1963) "Jewish Settlements in the Gulf of Eilat
Region in the Middle Ages" in _The 18th Conference for Land-of-
Israel-Studies_ (Hebrew).
Negev, Avraham (ed.) (1979) _Israel Guide: The Negev Highlands
and Elath Region_ Jerusalem: Keter Publications (Hebrew).
Rotenberg, B. (1967) "Archaeological Findings in Eilat Region"
in Ron, Z. (ed.) _Survey of the Eilat Region_. Eilat: Local
Council of the Eilat Region Publications (Hebrew).
General geography http://wzo.org.il/juice/map/map3.htm
General: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/facts/land/fland2.html
Eilat: http://wzo.org.il/juice/map/eilat/index.html Eilat
http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/facts/hist/arcsit11.html
Timna: http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/facts/hist/arcs2-11.html
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