Dead Sea

Dead Sea.

West bank of the Dead Sea, looking south (photo 2023)

"Sea" located 400m below sea level and into which the Jordan flows; commonly known today as the "Dead Sea".

Description

Maria Valtorta, in her own descriptions, uses the term “Dead Sea” many times. This term was certainly unknown at the time of Jesus, as it is generally attributed to Galen. In the historical dialogues of Jesus and his followers, other terms are used: the “Eastern Sea”; the “Salt Sea” or the "Lake Asphaltites". These are the names actually found in the Bible, or among secular authors of the time.

Maria Valtorta dwells on describing this landscape. She even makes a sketch reproduced below:

“The pilgrims, although tired after a long march, which they perhaps covered in two stages from sunset to today’s dawn, along difficult roads, cannot help uttering exclamations of admiration when, after a long stretch of road along a hill-side, which sparkles like diamonds in the early morning sunshine, they encounter the full view of the Dead Sea displayed before them, from shore to shore.

The western side has a narrow plain between the sea and the Judaean type of luxuriant hills in the hinterland, while on the west the mountains drop sheer to the sea basin. One gets the impression that the ground, in a frightful telluric catastrophe, slid down with a clean cut, leaving crevices vertical to the lake, from which torrents descend, more or less rich in waters, destined to evaporate into salt in the dark cursed water of the Dead Sea. In the distance, beyond the lake, and the first range of hills, there are many more slopes, which are beautiful in the morning sunshine. To the north one can see the green-blue mouth of the Jordan, and mountains framing the lake to the south.

It is grand, solemn, sad, majestically admonishing scenery, in which the charming view of the mountains mingles with the gloomy one of the Dead Sea, the sight of which seems to remind one of what sin and the wrath of the Lord can bring. Because such a large expansion of water without a sail, a boat, a bird, an animal crossing it, flying over it or drinking on its shores, is really frightening!”

Drawing by Maria Valtorta. In the center, the Dead Sea; on its western shore, Engedi in a small red square, and still to the west, the desert (written twice)

Its name

Dead Sea, Salt Sea, Asphalite Lake.

Known in the Bible under these names as the “Eastern Sea” and “Salt Sea”, this body of Water is called the “Dead Sea” due to its high mineral content that does not allow any life in its waters. Flavius Josephus also uses the term “Sea of Asphalt” because of the asphalt (or bitumen) that was found in large quantities on the lake’s surface and shores.

There are other biblical designations as well: the “Sea of Sodom,” the “Sea of Lot,” the “Sea of the Araba.” The expression “Stinking Sea” is also found. But these various names do not appear in the text of Maria Valtorta.

Where is it mentioned in the work?

GRM 80.

GRM 388 GRM 389.

GRM 464 GRM 500.

GRM 525 GRM 540.

Explore

• 31° 34’ 34’’ N / 35° 29’ 04’’ E /
• -400m.

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Notes and references

Article partially based on the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel by Jean-François Lavère.

Person who is not religious or a non-religious affair.