The Book of Genesis describes the pits of tar (asphalt) into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers, indicating that the substance was a known and notable feature of the landscape. While olive oil dominated anointing and lighting rituals, asphalt played a specific role in the Tabernacle and Temple.
Ancient Israel Tar Trade Routes and the Cost of Asphalt
" This material is a thick, sticky form of petroleum that occurs naturally, particularly in the Dead Sea region. The ability to deny access to asphalt could be as damaging as a trade embargo, effectively increasing the cost of goods for rival city-states or foreign powers attempting to build fortifications or ships in the region.
Military and Engineering Applications The "cost of oil" in a military context was measured in the integrity of defenses. The walls of Jerusalem and other fortified cities benefited from the use of bitumen as a binding agent, creating formidable barriers against siege engines.
Ancient Israel Tar Trade Routes and the Cost of Asphalt
The most famous geological source is the Ein Gedi area, where tar pits and seeps have been active for millennia. Later, the Dead Sea region became a notorious symbol of divine punishment, with the biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah describing the area as one that "was consuming like a oven," a reference to the ever-present natural fires fueled by the hydrocarbons bubbling to the surface.
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