Desert of Judah
by Sandra Pena de Ortiz
Title
Desert of Judah
Artist
Sandra Pena de Ortiz
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
FEATURED PHOTO: Your Best Work FAA group - 7/12/2013
FEATURED PHOTO: Artists News FAA group - 07/01/2013
FEATURED PHOTO: Nature From Around the World FAA group - 06/30/2013
FEATURED PHOTO: Beauty FAA group - 06/28/2013
A magnificent view of the Judean Desert, also known as the Desert of Judah, from the natural plateau of the Masada National Park in Israel. I visited this site during my tour through Israel on April, 2007. The Judean Desert lies east of Jerusalem and descends to the Dead Sea. Stretching from the northeastern Negev to the east of Beit El, this desert is marked by terraces with escarpments, which are long steep slopes or cliffs, as that seen in the photograph, resulting from erosion or from faulting that separate two relatively level areas of differing elevations. One of its escarpments ends in a steep escarpments drop toward the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley. The Judean desert or wilderness is significant in Bible history. It has been mostly uninhabited throughout history because of its lack of water and good routes. Thus, it was an excellent place for those seeking refuge from enemies or retreat from the world. David, of the Old Testament, hid in several places of the Judean wilderness when he was on the run due to King's Saul persecution. John the Baptist, of the New Testament, preached in this wonderful wilderness. Moreover, some sources say that it was in the Judean wilderness where Jesus was tempted by the devil.
Then, Herod the Great built two fortresses (Herodium and Masada) in this area for protection should his people ever revolt against him. Masada has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site (2001). Masada preserves i) a grand first-century Roman villa; 2) the remains of the most complete Roman siege system in the world; and 3) the story of the tragic events leading to the last chapter of the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans - the last stand of the jewish rebels, the Machabees, who became a symbol of the struggle fight for freedom from oppression.
Uploaded
June 28th, 2013
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Comments (34)
Barbara McMahon
Fantastic landscape capture Sandra! Great job in showcasing the vastness of this stark land by including the road and power poles. So interesting to view the layers of rock in this ancient landscape. l/f
Lianne Schneider
As bleak and unforgiving as this country is you'd wonder why so many people have fought for it for so long. Amazing shot Sandra with its own kind of beauty. F/L T
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