Israel and You Spaces and Places in Israel
Timna National Park – פארק תמנע
Timna Park is outstanding in its variety of scenic, geological and archaeological sites of global significance. The story of Timna Valley is a tale of exploration, conquest, international trade, powerful kings, vast empires, and Biblical legends suddenly come to life. It is the story of the birth of the Bronze Age around the fourth millennium BCE, which propelled the world to a new level of production, artistry, and sophistication.
At the end of the 14th century BCE, as the Egyptian Empire grew and word of the copper-rich area spread, the Egyptians established a trade route leading directly through the Timna Valley. Bringing with them much more sophisticated mining wisdom, the Egyptians used metal chisels and hoes and excavated very regular, tubular shafts, with footholds in the walls for moving as far down as 30 meters to reach the copper.
It was also at this time that the Midianites from the northwestern Arabian Peninsula joined Egypt in tapping the rich copper mines. Long after Egyptian control of the area declined in the 12th century BCE, the advanced Midianite culture remained. The Children of Israel, along with Nabateans and Muslims from the Arabian Peninsula, were among those who mined the Timna Valley until the area’s metals became scarce.
Timna Park is located about 25 km (about 17 miles) north of Eilat in Israel’s Negev Desert. One of the largest attractions in the south of Israel, the park, set in a beautifully majestic desert setting, has amazing history and geology, and a number of unexpected activities including those on the lake (yes, a lake in the desert!). Timna Park covers about 15,000 acres in a horseshoe-shaped valley surrounded by steep cliffs, with Mount Timna, the world’s first ever copper mine, standing tall in the center. – See more at:
http://www.touristisrael.com/timna-park/2984/#sthash.WLYHodce.dpuf
Timna Visitors Center
Copper Mines
Tabernacle in Timna Park
The amazing Tabernacle of Moses in full size replica in the Negev Desert, which has a similar wilderness environment as the original location. [The video also has a few scenes of some other sites at Timna Park, plus an “epic” short about Jericho (by the Red Sea), and a visit to an Eilat worship celebration with a kids choir singing the universal “Halleluia…”]
At Timna Park, 20 miles (32 km) north of Eilat in the Arabah, a life-size replica of the biblical tabernacle has been constructed showing the Outer Court, The Holy of Holies, The Table of Showbread, The Altar of Incense, and the Ark of the Covenent. While no original materials (e.g., gold, silver, bronze) have been used, the model is accurate in every other way based upon the biblical description.
Solomon’s Columns
An impressive set of high red sandstone hills, one of the most famous sites in the south of Israel, located in the center of the Timna Valley – today a nature & history park. The area is one of the most ancient copper mines, dating to the end of the 5th Millennium BCE (about 6,000 years ago). An Egyptian temple and rock engraving are located in the site, and the miners’ camp is located nearby. The site and the entire park is a perfect place for hiking and combines remarkable nature scenes, historic sites and hiking tracks.
Timna Lake
