I sent forth my messengers to the country of Atika [= Arava?], to the great copper mines which are in this place. Their galleys carried them, others on the land journey were upon their donkeys. Their mines were found abounding in copper; it was loaded by tens of thousands [of bars] into their galleys. They were sent forward to Egypt and arrived safely.
Ramesses III, Papyrus Harris 1:78, 2; The Holy Land by Jerome Murphy-O’Connor p. 522
Not far north of Eilat is Timnah Park. Within the dry desert of the Arabah, this park features both nature beauty and archaeology. This was one of my favorite new stops during the trip.
The area is filled with copper, which has been mined throughout the ages, even down to today. Remnants of ancient copper mines are evident. The Egyptians were among those who came. A small temple to Hathor, the goddess of mining sits at the base of a cliff. Imagine working in such a hot location with smelting furnaces burning!
Besides the history of the place, its natural beauty shines. Hiking trails cover the park, while small parking lots are also situated at strategic points. Even though we drove between major stops, we enjoyed some hot hikes. We climbed under some natural arches. We studied strange rock formations looking like mushrooms. We climbed through tunnels. Most importantly, we drank a lot of water!
Finally, near the back of the park is a full-scale replica of the tabernacle. Wandering through it, we got an idea of what the God’s tent was like that the ancient Israelites carried through the wilderness on the way to the land of promise.
