The Production of Salt and Sulphur from the Dead Sea Region in the Tenth Century according to at-Tamimi

Abstract

From at-Tamimi's essay we learn about the importance of the Dead Sea region as a source for producing rocks and minerals on a profit-making basis; some of these were even shipped beyond the borders of Syria. It was primarily the inhabitants of jericho and Zo'ar who were employed in mining these quarries. In addition to salt and sulphur, at-Tamimi describes at length the products and exploitation of additional quarries, for substances such as asphalt, Goldsmith's Borax, vitriol, and red ochres, as well as the production of alkaline cleaning materials obtained by burning salt marsh plants (alkali ashes). This article has brought only a little of the information found in at-Tamimi's book and the writer is working at present on publishing the rest of the material.