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orion-list More than enough




Altman wrote:

> Dr. Pfann,
>
> Ein Feshkha is hardly in walking distance of Khirbet Qumran; the water for
> living the life-style of the Essenes from day-to-day would still have to be
> brought in from somewhere. More relevant to this discussion would be to
> look up the history of modern Sedom and the attempts to create a "worker's"
> settlement for about 50 people on site. Then look up current population
> statistics on Sedom: there are none. The attempt failed; the workers commute.

In today's world pipes and water trucks are used for transporting water here in
the Middle East. In antiquity aqueducts and donkeys were used. Both forms are
evident at Qumran-Ein Feshkha during the period in question.

1) The elaborate aqueduct system is one of the most prominant features of the
site. No more need be said about this for the moment.
2) 5 meters to the west of the southwest cistern (loc 91) of Qumran are the
remains of a stable (loc 97) for about 10 pack animals. Similarly, at Ein Feshkha
(less than two miles away) is a stable (loc 17-19) for about 10 pack animals near
the pool of the spring.

With so much water per year (at least 15-18 million cu meters), Ein Feshkha would
have had the capacity to provide potable water to numerous settlements in the
area by donkey train with more to spare.Daily donkey trains from Ein Feshkha to
Qumran easily kept the cisterns full. (The numerous Mivaot are yet another
story).

If there is any other questions about the spring please feel free to contact the
authorities I mentioned earlier. They will tell you, as they told me that 1)
aside from the Jordan River, Ein Feshkha is by far the largest constant water
source for the Dead Sea and 2) the spring is currently under consideration for
providing the fresh water needs of at least two other communities along the coast
of the Dead Sea.

repectfully,

S. Pfann

For private reply, e-mail to pfann <pfann@netvision.net.il>
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