New Books Network

The Dead Sea: A 10,000 Year History

Apr 13, 2025

Nir Arielli, a professor of international history at the University of Leeds and author of The Dead Sea: A 10,000 Year History, discusses the rich and complex history of the Dead Sea, from its biblical significance to its roles in geopolitics and tourism. The conversation delves into the region's environmental crisis caused by shrinking water levels and the resulting ecological challenges. Arielli highlights historical resource extraction methods, early scientific explorations, and potential solutions through international cooperation, showcasing the urgent need for environmental responsibility.

40:45

Episode guests

Nir Arielli

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Quick takeaways

The Dead Sea has a profound historical and cultural significance, marked by its connection to various civilizations and biblical narratives over thousands of years.

Environmental challenges threaten the Dead Sea's future, with significant water diversion and climate change causing alarming reductions in water levels and ecosystem disruption.

Deep dives

Historical Significance of the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea has been a site of human activity and cultural significance for thousands of years, marking the convergence of various civilizations. Archaeological evidence shows that the area around the Dead Sea has been inhabited since at least 11,000 BCE, with Jericho recognized as the oldest city in the world. The region is intertwined with biblical narratives, including the infamous stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, and has drawn significant interest from scholars attempting to reconcile historical events with archeological findings. This rich history paints the Dead Sea not only as a geographical feature but also as a cultural and spiritual symbol for numerous societies across millennia.

Intro

4min

Exploring the Dead Sea: History and Significance

12min

Scientific Exploration of the Dead Sea: Early Discoveries and Insights

4min

The Evolution of Dead Sea Resource Extraction

7min

The Dead Sea Crisis: Impacts and Challenges

5min

The Uncertain Future of the Dead Sea

3min

Exploring Environmental Responsibility Through Historical Narratives

3min

Geographic labels are sometimes misnomers. The Dead Sea’s name is not, for the most part. Its high salinity levels kill most forms of life, barring a couple hardy microbes and algae—and even these are threatened by environmental change.

Except the Dead Sea has been part of human history for millennia. Jericho, the world’s oldest city, sits nearby. It features prominently in the Bible. Greeks, Romans, Jews, Arabs, Europeans all interact with the Dead Sea. And it’s now a tourist hotspot, a source for resources extraction–and a political hotspot, shared between Jordan, Israel, and the contested area of the West Bank.

Nir Arielli, professor of international history at the University of Leeds, covers this history in his new book The Dead Sea: A 10,000 Year History (Yale University Press, 2025).

Nir is also the author of From Byron to bin Laden: A History of Foreign War Volunteers (Harvard University Press: 2018) and Fascist Italy and the Middle East (Palgrave Macmillan: 2010). He has also written contemporary political commentary for the Globe Post, Haaretz, and the Conversation.

You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of The Dead Sea. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia.

Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon.

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