Ein Avdat

Coordinates: 30°49′35″N 34°46′0″E / 30.82639°N 34.76667°E / 30.82639; 34.76667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ein Avdat
עין עבדת
Length5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
Geology
TypeCanyon
Geography
Coordinates30°49′35″N 34°46′0″E / 30.82639°N 34.76667°E / 30.82639; 34.76667 

Ein Avdat (

waterfalls. The water emerges from the rock layers with salt-tolerant plants like Poplar trees and Atriplexes
growing nearby.

Etymology

Ein is

Nabataean King Obodas I who, according to tradition, was buried there.[3]

History

Prehistoric era

Habitation during the

Mousterian culture.[4] The flint in the outcrops nearby was utilized for arrows and points. Ostrich egg shells and onager bones shed light on the fauna of the time; some of these remains are approximately 200,000 years old.[5] Man-made knives and other hand held implements date from the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods.[6][7] Remains of a small settlement consisting of several round structures dates from the Bronze Age.[8]

Antiquity

During the

Roman era. Forts along the Incense Route developed into thriving cities with many public buildings and farms.[8][9]

In the Byzantine period, Ein Avdat was inhabited by monks who lived in caves. They carved out closets, shelves, benches, stairs, and water systems, and decorated the walls of the caves with crosses and prayers.[8][10]

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognizes Avdat as a Heritage Site in part because of the uniqueness of the magnificent Byzantine Church. Maybe dating from the third century (sources are not clear), it is both one of the earliest and one of the best-preserved churches constructed before the recognition of Christianity by the Emperor Constantine. After the

Muslim conquest of Palestine, the region was abandoned.[8]

Modern era

After the establishment of Kibbutz

National Park of Israel and is administered by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.[11][12] The modern park is 480 ha in area.[13] Approximately 120 to 500 tourists visited the park each day in 2019.[14]

Geography

Ein Avdat
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
25
 
 
15
4
 
 
18
 
 
16
5
 
 
17
 
 
19
7
 
 
7.9
 
 
25
11
 
 
1.1
 
 
29
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0
 
 
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0
 
 
33
19
 
 
0.1
 
 
31
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2
 
 
27
14
 
 
7.6
 
 
22
9
 
 
75
 
 
17
6
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: The Israel Meteorological Service
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
1
 
 
59
39
 
 
0.7
 
 
61
41
 
 
0.7
 
 
66
45
 
 
0.3
 
 
77
52
 
 
0
 
 
84
57
 
 
0
 
 
88
61
 
 
0
 
 
91
64
 
 
0
 
 
91
66
 
 
0
 
 
88
63
 
 
0.1
 
 
81
57
 
 
0.3
 
 
72
48
 
 
3
 
 
63
43
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

The canyon of Ein Avdat is part of Nahal Zin, the largest Wadi or dry riverbed in the Negev. The 120 kilometer-long riverbed begins at the northwestern tip of Makhtesh Ramon and heads north before veering sharply eastwards. Ein Avdat was created by erosion.[8][10]

Springs

The southernmost spring is Ein Ma'arif,[8][15] featuring a series of waterfalls and pools.[16] A Byzantine fortress overlooks the spring and adjacent agricultural land.[10][16]

Further north is Ein Avdat, a 15-meter high waterfall that flows into an 8-meter deep pool of water divided by a small artificial dam.[17]

Located near the northern entrance of the park is a spring called Ein Mor, named for the spice myrrh.[15][18]

Climate

According to statistics compiled by a weather station at Sde Boker, the summers are hot with almost no precipitation while the winters are cold with some rain. The lowest recorded temperature for January was −3.6 °C (25.5 °F). In the summer temperatures can reach over 40 °C (104 °F). The humidity is relatively high.[19]

Ecology

Flora

Growing around the springs are Euphrates poplar trees[20][21][22] and Atriplexes, commonly known as saltbush, which grow on riverbanks and can tolerate salinity. Other riverside plants are tamarisks, salt trees, common reed, lesser bulrush, and sea rush. Maidenhair ferns and lichen are found on moist canyon walls, and algae grows in the water. Shrubs such as bushy bean caper and saltwort grow in dryer areas. A single, large Mt Atlas mastic (pistachio) tree grows near the park entrance.[8][11] Multiple species of green algae (Chara) grow in the water.[citation needed]

Fauna

En Avdat is home to mammals such as Nubian ibex,[23][24] fat sand rats,[11] golden jackals, red foxes, Arabian wolves, striped hyenas,[14] and bats such as Kuhl's pipistrelle.[25] The canyon is an important protected area for griffon vultures and Egyptian vultures, which nest on the cliffs.[26] Other common birds include sand partridge, Arabian babblers, rock martin, Tristram's starling, rock doves, and Bonelli's eagles.[11][26][27] In the water live European green toads, Levantine freshwater crabs, and larvae of insects such as Culiseta mosquitoes and desert skimmer dragonflies.[28]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ISBN 1589397762
    .
  2. ^ "The Glossary of Terms and Names". mosaic.lk.net. Archived from the original on 2009-01-31. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  3. ^ Yoram Tsafrir, Leah Di Segni and Judith Green (1994). Tabula Imperii Romani: Judaea, Palaestina. Jerusalem: Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. pp. 114–115.
  4. ISSN 1476-4687
    .
  5. ISSN 0305-4403
    .
  6. ISSN 0011-3204
    .
  7. ISSN 2352-409X
    .
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ein Avdat". mosaic.lk.net. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
  9. ^ "Ein Avdat". Jewish Virtual Library. Archived from the original on 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  10. ^ a b c "Nahal Zin, Ein Avdat". bibleplaces.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  11. ^ a b c d "Ein Avdat National Park". Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  12. ^ Orgad, Avigdor; Tsvika Tsuk. "Ein-Avdat National Park". Kalmanovitz Bros. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
  13. ISSN 0006-3657
    .
  14. ^
    ISSN 2296-701X
    .
  15. ^ a b "Ein Avdat - A Desert Fresh Water Ecosystem". Caretakers Israel. Archived from the original on 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  16. ^ a b "Ein Ovdat National Park". boker.org.il. Archived from the original on 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  17. ISBN 1-900949-48-2
    . Retrieved 2009-02-05.
  18. ISBN 0-8246-0413-X
    . Retrieved 2009-01-23.
  19. ^ "Climate information". The Israel Meteorological Service. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
  20. PMID 16356264
    .
  21. ISSN 1208-6037
    .
  22. ^ Bogeat-Triboulot, Marie-Béatrice; Thiec, Didier Le; Hukin, David; Cochard, Hervé; Dreyer, Erwin (2004-11-17). "Drought responses in Populus euphratica: effects on water relations, growth, hydraulic properties and gas exchange". Impacts of the Drought and Heat in 2003 on Forests: np.
  23. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.1994.tb01072.x
    .
  24. doi:10.1093/beheco/ars110
  25. ISSN 1618-1476
    .
  26. ^
    ISSN 0006-3657
    .
  27. ISSN 0273-8570
    .
  28. doi:10.2307/5261

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ein_Avdat&oldid=1218541167"