Timna Park Attractions
Some 30km/20mi north of Elat is Timna Park, an area of 60sq.km/23sq.miles of fascinating desert landscape, with copper-mines which have been worked from ancient times into the 20th century. An asphalted road runs through the park, leading to bizarre rock formations like the famous Solomon's Pillars, Egyptian copper workings and rock engravings.
The area is reached by turning left off the main north-south road 27km/17mi north of Elat, 2km/1.25mi beyond a road on the left leading to the modern mines.
History
Excavations by Benno Rothenberg of Jerusalem University (1959 onwards) showed that copper was being systematically mined in this area as early as 3000 B.C. (following earlier centuries in which nomads had been picking up lumps of copper ore in the desert and smelting them to obtain the metal) and that, on the evidence of inscriptions, the Egyptians were achieving particularly high outputs of copper in the 14th and 13th centuries B.C. (i.e. under the 18th and 19th Dynasties). The mines were also worked in Israelite times, particularly in the reign of Solomon, and also under Roman and Arab rule. The Israelis began mining here in 1955 but closed the mines down in 1976 as a result of the fall in world copper prices. Mining was resumed in 1980 in workings to the south of the ancient copper-mines.
The area is reached by turning left off the main north-south road 27km/17mi north of Elat, 2km/1.25mi beyond a road on the left leading to the modern mines.
History
Excavations by Benno Rothenberg of Jerusalem University (1959 onwards) showed that copper was being systematically mined in this area as early as 3000 B.C. (following earlier centuries in which nomads had been picking up lumps of copper ore in the desert and smelting them to obtain the metal) and that, on the evidence of inscriptions, the Egyptians were achieving particularly high outputs of copper in the 14th and 13th centuries B.C. (i.e. under the 18th and 19th Dynasties). The mines were also worked in Israelite times, particularly in the reign of Solomon, and also under Roman and Arab rule. The Israelis began mining here in 1955 but closed the mines down in 1976 as a result of the fall in world copper prices. Mining was resumed in 1980 in workings to the south of the ancient copper-mines.
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Egyptian copper-mines
Continuing on the road past the Mushroom Rock in Timna Park, we come to a parking lot from which a path is signposted to the Egyptian Copper-Mines. This leads in 200m/220yds to a large natural sandstone arch, from which a steep path leads up to old shafts, the deepest of which tunnels down for 37m/120ft. From a viewing platform can be seen light-colored circles on the ground marking the position of shafts which have been filled in.
Hill of the Slaves
Opposite Solomon's Pillars in Timna Park is the so-called Hill of the Slaves. This was a camp in which the miners were housed between the 14th and 12th centuries B.C. The entrance to the camp was protected by two gate-towers. Within the camp (still partly surrounded by walls) were found the remains of houses and workshops.
Lake Timna
In order to enhance the tourist attractions of Timna Park a small artificial lake has been created in the barren landscape to the east of Solomon's Pillars, with a restaurant and picnic areas. It is planned to open a museum.
Mushroom Rock
The Mushroom Rock in Timna Park is a 6m/20ft high rock with something of the shape of a mushroom. Round it are the remains of houses, workshops, smelting ovens (copy: original in Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv) and food storage pits of the 14th-12th centuries B.C.
Rock engravings
In a cleft in the rock to the north of the Egyptian copper-mines in Timna Park (now accessible by rock-cut steps) are Egyptian rock engravings of the 13th and 12th centuries B.C. They depict a group of hunters armed with bows and arrows, other figures carrying shields and axes and still others in war chariots drawn by animals.
