Friday, April 6, 2012

TIME OUT - Part 3 - The Makhtesh ha Katan


A Makhtesh is a geological formation that exists only in the Negev and in the Sinai. There is no other place on earth with something similar, it is unique to Israel, and the Hebrew word Makhtesh מכתש, meaning "mortar grinder" found its way into to the scientific language of all geologists on the globe. And this really is the form of a makhtesh, it looks like a mortar, round and deep. The shape of the "bowl" is caused by erosion and the waters of a wadi. The wadi was slowly created over millions of years sipping through cracks in the surface. Then it has found one way out of the bowl, draining it again and again. Only through this single opening is it possible to enter a makhtesh. 

There is a wonderful explanation giving a very good understanding of the process at this excellent link:








We visited the Makhesch haKatan, the "small" makhtesh. The road to get there leads through stunning rock formations of many different hues in beige brown rust black and reddish colors. We arrived there at the hottest hour with the sun at the zenith, so we just had a very short hike. I surely would like to go there again in winter, when it is much easier to enjoy walking.
I hope you get an impression of this very special and unique place on earth and have a pleasant time to view my husbands pictures. Please zoom in to fully appreciate the beauty of the place.


Photos by Uri Eshkar

There is one more part to come - the flowers! :-)

8 comments:

zsazsazsu said...

I want 3d + the feeling of the heath and the smell of this wunderful place ! !!!! ;-)

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful photography, thanks Uri.

Mrs. D said...

Wow! It is such a different landscape to what I am used to, thank you so much for sharing!
I'm now following you!

stardust said...

Thank you for this interesting tour to the unique geological places and stunning rock formations. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have no chance to see them. This is so dynamic that I can feel the pulse of the earth even if it was created by the miraculous mechanism of nature little by little in an astounding long time.

Yoko

Dawn of LaTouchables said...

Yael, this is a special place. I can think of only one other place that had such diverse regions very close together, and that was in Andalusia, around the Sierra Nevada in Spain, but it doesn't even compare to this image you've mentioned. How lucky you are to live so near!

mispapelicos said...

What a beautiful experience to travel through you, my dear Yael.
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glazedOver Pottery said...

I visited hamakhtesh hakatan years ago. I remember being dumbstruck by the size and awesomeness of it all. Beautiful photography, Uri!

Annuk said...

Dear Yael, these photographs and your words are pure poetry... the harsh, heartbreaking beauty of the desert is something that just leaves speechless and in awe.