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Copyright of Journal of The Iraqi University is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Quantifying the magnitude of an earthquake is very important for long-term and medium-term earthquake prediction, post-earthquake emergency rescue and seismic hazard assessment. Paleo-seismology is the investigation of past earthquakes in the geological record, in particular their location, timing and size. Uncertainties remain in the paleo-earthquake magnitudes determined by traditional surface rupture parameters, especially because most seismic events do not result in surface ruptures or are of less than 0.3 m (M = ~ 6–6.8). To address the problem of magnitude evaluation of earthquakes that did not reveal major dislocations, this paper deals with the methods used to determine the seismic shaking intensity based on the types and forms of soft-sediment deformation structures, including maximum liquefaction distance, thickness of disturbed layer, empirical formulae, and thickness of rapidly deposited sand layer. Then we discuss and analyze these methods in terms of their theoretical basis, advantages and disadvantages, accuracy, applicability and problems. We chose two case studies: first, a typical seismics-related deposit (liquefied layer and disrupted layer) represented by a seismite in the late-Pleistocene Lake Lisan section near Masada in the Dead Sea Basin; and second, the liquefied diapir triggered by an earthquake in the late-Quaternary lacustrine sediments at Luobozhai in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River, East Tibet. The five methods listed above are employed to determine earthquake magnitudes associated with the seismics-related deposit and liquefied diapir, yielding magnitudes of 5.5–6.5 and 6.0–7.0, respectively. The combination of the five methods, provided a new and relatively convenient method for determining seismic shaking, especially in lacustrine sediments. This study can serve as a valid reference for comparing methods of calculating the magnitude of a paleo-earthquake based on surface rupture parameters, and provides a better understanding of the long-term seismic activity and risk in tectonically active regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of IUG Journal of Islamic Studies is the property of Islamic University of Gaza and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

On a sample of the Turin Shroud (TS), we applied a new method for dating ancient linen threads by inspecting their structural degradation by means of Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS). The X-ray dating method was applied to a sample of the TS consisting of a thread taken in proximity of the 1988/radiocarbon area (corner of the TS corresponding to the feet area of the frontal image, near the so-called Raes sample). The size of the linen sample was about 0.5 mm × 1 mm. We obtained one-dimensional integrated WAXS data profiles for the TS sample, which were fully compatible with the analogous measurements obtained on a linen sample whose dating, according to historical records, is 55–74 AD, Siege of Masada (Israel). The degree of natural aging of the cellulose that constitutes the linen of the investigated sample, obtained by X-ray analysis, showed that the TS fabric is much older than the seven centuries proposed by the 1988 radiocarbon dating. The experimental results are compatible with the hypothesis that the TS is a 2000-year-old relic, as supposed by Christian tradition, under the condition that it was kept at suitable levels of average secular temperature—20.0–22.5 °C—and correlated relative humidity—75–55%—for 13 centuries of unknown history, in addition to the seven centuries of known history in Europe. To make the present result compatible with that of the 1988 radiocarbon test, the TS should have been conserved during its hypothetical seven centuries of life at a secular room temperature very close to the maximum values registered on the earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today we are able to produce a considerable amount of information in relation to heritage documentation thanks to the opportunities offered by remote sensing in all its aspects, from 3D laser scanner survey to the latest generation of photogrammetry. However, the remarkable ability to acquire data is not matched by methods of management, conservation and the possibility of using the generated databases at various levels. In the scientific area, not only visual techniques are experimented but also multisensory applications aimed at creating 'intelligent' digital models. In this work, some recent experiences carried out in the specific field of 3D digital survey documentation on sites of great archaeological interest are presented, such as Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli, near Rome, and the Masada fortress in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria ranks amongst the major health challenges faced by many developing countries. In Sub-Saharan and tropical regions of Africa, malaria continues to claim the life of one out of every twenty children below the age of five years. In adults, mortality rates are lower, but frequent debilitating attacks reduce the quality of life for chronic sufferers. The patronage and usage of liquid herbal antimalarials in the management and treatment of malaria in Ghana have been on the ascendency over the past decade. This project seeks to transform five liquid herbal antimalarial preparations (Agbeve pevah, Time mixture, Givers mixture, Masada mixture, and Rooter mixture) produced locally and commonly used for the treatment of malaria fever into capsules. This will help eliminate the current limitations, such as lack of patient compliance due to the bitterness and bulky nature of packaged preparation. The amount of dry extract per dose of each herbal antimalarial preparation and the wavelength of maximum absorption (λmax) of aqueous solutions of Agbeve, Time, Givers, Masada, and Rooter extract were determined. The flow properties of formulated granules were determined and subsequently encapsulated. The formulated capsules were evaluated using basic pharmacopeial tests, such as uniformity of weight, disintegration, drug content, and dissolution. Difference, f1, and similarity, f2, factors were employed in analyzing the dissolution profiles of the formulated capsules. The formulated granules exhibited good flow properties and passed the weight uniformity, disintegration, and drug content tests. The capsules exhibited optimal release of extract at the 45th minute in 0.1 M HCL. All formulated capsules had ƒ2 values >50 and ƒ1 values <15, indicating the similarity of their drug release profiles with their respective liquid herbal antimalarials. Oral capsules of Agbeve, Time, Givers, Masada, and Rooter have been successfully formulated and can be used as a substitute for Agbeve pevah, Time mixture, Givers mixture, Masada mixture, and Rooter mixture, respectively, in the treatment of malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hebrew manuscripts of Ben Sira from Qumran, Masada and the Cairo Genizah present numerous variants between the different Hebrew witnesses, as well as in the marginal readings of manuscript B. One salient feature of these variants is that most represent "synonymous readings." In this paper, we would like to examine this phenomenon more closely by looking at the different textual Hebrew witnesses of Ben Sira, while focusing on three main points: (1) In what way these synonymous variants may be comprehended from an historical-linguistic point of view; (2) How this typical feature may inform us about scribal practices from antiquity to the medieval period; (3) Whether a comparison of this phenomenon with similar features in the Hebrew Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls, which Shemaryahu Talmon highlighted in his "Synonymous Readings" article, might show that these textual variations can serve as a paradigm highlighting scribal practices in textual transmission in antiquity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay identifies four performance frames tour guides employ to orient tourists to the site. Each frame is presented through a composite character, constructed through participant observation of over 60 guided tours at Masada National Park in Israel. Guides can tell intimate stories, directing tourists towards the guide's ideological vision of the site; they can engage in activist rhetoric, moving tourists to act; they can create ritual-like activities, inspiring tourists to remain culturally connected to the site; and they can encourage dialogue and discussion, compelling tourists to critically assess their relationship to the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines mnemonic practices and discursive strategies that structure the past and its relation to the present, drawing on examples from Israeli Jewish culture. The discussion explores the discursive construction of an "event" as a singular development and underscores the significance of its beginning and ending. It analyzes the impact of introducing symbolic bridges connecting separated historical periods, proposing historical analogies that highlight recurrent historical patterns, creating mnemonic bubbles governed by commemorative time, and conflating historical events into multilayered commemorations. These temporal structures, often anchored in mnemonic traditions, continue to influence the understanding of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Islamic Sciences (22259732) is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents new compositional analysis of 26 fragments of the much‐debated cylindrical and ovoid jars, a vessel type first defined at Khirbet Qumran and associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The new samples include 15 examples from Tel Ḥevron, a site which yielded a pottery workshop and that carries certain similarities with Khirbet Qumran during the Early Roman period, as well as several examples from Jericho and Masada. According to the new as well as previous analyses, many of these jars were produced in the Ḥevron area; another source may be located in the northern Dead Sea area. The actual function of these jars, and whether they ever contained scrolls, is still unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-known for their geological and natural singularity, the Dead Sea brines evolved from a marine ingression of the Mediterranean during the Pliocene. Dead Sea brines are currently almost ten times more concentrated than seawater and have a unique chemical composition with high boron isotope values (δ 11 B brine = ∼57‰). However, little is known on how these values were attained and their underlaying driving processes. Here we use boron isotopes (δ 11 B) combined with B/Ca and B/Li of lacustrine authigenic aragonites from the deep basin drill-core ICDP 5017-1, and Ein Gedi and Masada profiles to reconstruct past brine conditions. Comparing reconstructed δ 11 B brine from two key periods of contrasting hydro-climatic regimes we find that the brines of the late Holocene Dead Sea were enriched in 11B (δ 11 B brine = ∼60‰) relative to its glacial precursor Lake Lisan (∼57‰). With the aid of boron cycle modelling, we quantify the main boron fluxes in the basin. We show that the post-glacial δ 11 B brine enrichment is best explained by overall reduction of freshwater inflow to the lake and coeval increase in 10B sink through boron co-precipitation in evaporitic deposits and boron loss in atmospheric water vapour, consistent with the onset of warmer and drier climate in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Holocene. On geological time scales, adsorption of 10B on clastic sediments has acted as an important 10B sink and can explain the evolution of the high δ 11 B brine values. • New boron, carbon, and oxygen isotope and Element/Ca data of aragonite from ICDP core 5017-1, Ein Gedi and Masada. • Boron geochemistry as a tool for tracing the geological evolution of Dead Sea brines from seawater. • Late glacial Lake Lisan and late Holocene Dead Sea boron budgets and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New multidisciplinary research based on geomorphological investigation and soil survey conducted at the slopes of Masada fort enabled us to reevaluate and question the dramatic events that took place there, in 73/74 CE, according to the 1st century CE Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus. The fort, built on a high elevated and isolated rocky block facing the Dead Sea in Israel, is now on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. Here, according to Josephus, a group of Jewish rebels occupying Masada chose to kill each other and die as free people rather than go into captivity. This act took place after the rebels realized that the Roman army, laying a complex assault ramp against the fort of Masada, were breaching its walls. The archaeological finds unearthed at Masada, revealing the daily life of the Jewish rebels and the well-preserved remains of the Roman siege apparatus, seem at face value to complement Josephus' description. However, our new geomorphological and soil examination of the assault ramp and the natural terrain in its vicinity enable us to clearly separate between the man-made construction and the natural slope environments, and draw a clear boundary between the two. In addition, we conclude that since their formation, they were not subjected to later modification by processes such as natural erosion, slope sliding, or anthropogenic interruptions. As the Roman assault ramp was found to be an uncompleted structure, we conclude that the final scenario of the siege could not have happened as Josephus described it. This meticulous new research confirms our earlier hypothesis that the assault ramp was never completed and therefore could not have been operational. Such a conclusion challenges the common understanding of how the Roman siege of Masada ended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Josephus Flavius is the only source on the rebellion of Masada and the heroic mass suicide at its end. This tragic event was not mentioned in the Halakhic literature. Chazal, rabbinic sages, who lived at that time, didn't mention it and one should wonder why. The common explanation is that Chazal were against committing suicide and did not want to raise the issue in a heroic context. However, thorough review of the rabbinic literature shows that Chazal did not have a problem with suicide. It all depended on the reason: suicide for religious principle was considered a positive and heroic act. But suicide due to a national principle was considered a negative act that shouldn't be mentioned. That is why the events of Masada and Gamla are not mentioned in Chazal's literature. This conception of ignoring the event of Masada in the Halakhic literature even in discussions about committing suicide has changed in the twentieth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to modern satellite images, information regarding the time of acquisition of declassified CORONA satellites is not readily available and requires access to hard-copy frame ephemeris data held by the US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). In this article, the accuracy of a method described previously (Fowler 2006) for estimating the acquisition times of CORONA photographs using freely available historical Two Line Element orbital ephemeris data together with a commercial off-the-shelf modelling package for satellite operations has been investigated. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between the modelled and documented acquisition times for a sample of 21 frames acquired by four CORONA KH-4B missions was determined to be of the order of 20.3 s and indicates that the approach can be used to estimate the acquisition times of CORONA satellite photographs to a relatively high degree of accuracy. From this, the solar azimuth and elevation for particular locations covered by the photographs can be readily determined. An example of the application of the technique is given for the case of two CORONA photographs of the landscape around the Roman siege-works at the fortress at Masada, Israel, and where knowledge of the solar lighting conditions at the time of acquisition enables the appearance of the archaeological features in their landscape setting to be appreciated. Being quick and low cost, this modelling approach has a broader utility for studies where knowledge of the acquisition times of CORONA satellite photographs is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Roman reduction of Masada, completed over the winter of either A. D. 72/73 or 73/74, offers scholars the opportunity to study the most complete surviving siege system of the ancient world. Although the remains of the Roman works were the subject of extensive comment from the early to middle 20th century, little modern attention has been devoted to the complex suite of siege-related structures that surround the fortress-palace. A controversial new hypothesis contending that the Roman assault ramp at the site was not "operational" at the time that the siege was brought to a close provides a good reason for reviewing the archaeological evidence concerning this famous episode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Modeling the demands for wood, especially firewood, for the inhabitants of the unique desert fortress of Masada during the major period of its occupation (beginning about 150B.C.E. and ending with its fall after the Roman siege in 73C.E.) is based on the well-documented history of the site, of the number of inhabitants in each phase of occupation, and the current demand for firewood in traditional societies. The previously analyzed ancient botanical remains from Masada provide base-line data of the types of wood used. We have concluded that when the Roman siege began in C.E. 73, the vicinity of Masada would have been denuded of trees and shrubs as a result of ca. 225 years of occupation. Therefore, the Tamarix wood used to construct the upper parts of the Roman siege rampart was probably not local. The isotopic composition of the Tamarix beams probably indicates that they were imported from a different region, such as the more humid and cooler river banks east of the Dead Sea, rather than the result of climate change as previously proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Zionist collective memory has long associated Masada with the struggle to secure Jewish sovereignty over the land of Israel. This article examines the effects of the political upheavals of the Oslo and post-Oslo periods on the meanings ascribed to Masada. It documents the popularity of a critical counter-narrative in tour guides' presentations of Masada to diaspora Jewish tourists. Directly informed by memories of the Rabin assassination, this critical counter-narrative emphasizes the dangers posed by Jewish extremists adhering to messianic religious ideologies. The focus on internal rather than external threats to Jewish sovereignty represents a sharp break with past framings of Masada's meaning. The paper discusses the implications for the study of political culture and collective memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abandonment, neglect, poor planning or inadequate presentation of cultural heritage are common occurrences. In some cases, the only way to prevent destruction and abandonment is to undertake treatment specifically designed for public consumption, with the aim of recovering forgotten or undervalued heritage. Accepting this premise, in certain circumstances conservation treatment suggests technical solutions that are closer to restoration than conservation. This type of situation has occurred several times in the course of the activities of the Center for Archaeological Conservation, Rome, and has been approached as described below. The interventions were carried out in Israel in the Large Baths and Liscat Hamefaked in Masada, and in Radà, Yemen, in the Madrasa Amiriya. A case still in progress, the conservation of gigantic stone statues from the tenth century BC from Cabras, Sardinia, Italy, concludes the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second-century CE Papyrus 967 contains a Greek version of Ezekiel that is significantly shorter than the Masoretic text. It has been argued that this shorter text reflected an earlier version of the Hebrew that was later expanded to form the text now found in the Masoretic text. Although the manuscript finds of Ezekiel from Qumran and Masada are scant, enough data are available to demonstrate a broadly proto-Masoretic text, which contains sections absent in the pre-Hexaplaric Greek versions. As these finds predate the earliest Greek witness (Papyrus 967) by over 200 years, the conclusion that the shorter text had been expanded becomes seriously questionable. This article argues that the available data are better explained by the conclusion that two different texts of Ezekiel must have been in circulation concurrently for a prolonged period of time and that the historical precedence of either text cannot be established legitimately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Volumes III and V of the Masada Final Reports, Ehud Netzer and Gideon Foerster highlighted the striking differences between the Northern and Western Palaces built by Herod at the site. Whereas the Western Palace is a hybrid of ancient Middle Eastern and east Greek architectural elements, the Northern Palace bears the stamp of Rome, and shows strong affinities with palatial edifices built for Augustus and Marcus Agrippa. This paper endeavours to show that the Northern Palace was consciously modelled on a pleasure boat, probably inspired by the construction of Herod's city of Caesarea with its magnificent artificial harbour. It should then be re-dated to between about 20 and 15 BCE. This would be consistent with the assigning by Netzer of Herod's Third Winter Palace at Jericho, which likewise displays strong Roman characteristics, to c. 15–14 BCE. An analysis is presented of the plan of the Northern Palace, which explains how it was conceived as a unitary scheme and highlights both the principles and specific proportions that were employed in its design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on Mastema's attempt on Moses' life in the pseudo-Jubilees text from Masada, Israel. Description of Hebrew scrolls found in Masada in an excavation from 1963 to 1965; Move of J.C. VanderKam to reject the argument of Y. Yadin that the fragment found was a part of the Book of Jubilees.

Keyblock stability in the "Snake Path" cliff of the Masada monument, situated on the western margin of the seismically active Dead Sea transform, is studied using field mapping, mechanical analysis, and monitoring of displacement, pressure, temperature, and relative humidity, over a period of 11 months. A linear nonreversible displacement trend is interpreted as the block response to regional microseismicity. A more pronounced cyclic displacement trend however is shown to be a response to climatic changes on the cliff face. This finding introduces a new, time-dependent, failure process in jointed rock slopes-the degradation of shear and/or cohesive strength of joints due climatic effects. Using two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) limit equilibrium analyses it is demonstrated that the 2-D solution overestimates the factor of safety against sliding by as much as 15% if water pressures in the boundary joints are considered. Application of a 2-D solution for a truly 3-D case where prismatic blocks are considered proves therefore to not be conservative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the remnants of an eremitical monastery known as Marda discovered through the excavations conducted by archaeologist Yigael Yadin in Masada Site, Israel. Presence of monks in the summit of the mountain known as Marda according to hagiographical literature of the Judean desert; Information on the layout of the remains of the monastery; Interpretations regarding the entrance gate of the monastery.

Focuses on a study about the texts of the Masada non-Biblical manuscripts found in Qumran. Literary texts in Hebrew found in the Masada corpus; Analysis of the find-sites of the Masada fragments in Israel; Textual character of the Masada biblical texts.

Examines the various traditions which report the suicide of priests in Jewish temple in Masada Site in Israel. Willingness of the priests to continue the temple ritual; Report of priestly suicide in connection with the conquest of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 CE; Combination of the account of the suicides and the account of the priests for returning the keys to the Temple of God.

The battle of Masada in 73 A.D. was one of the least significant and least successful events in ancient Jewish history. Our concern is to understand why, after almost two thousand years of obscurity, this event was suddenly remembered and commemorated by Palestinian Jews. Precipitating the 1927 recovery of Masada was the appearance of a very popular poem which used the ancient battle as an allegory of the Jewish settlers' struggle. By restoring this poem to its social context, and by analyzing both in terms of George Herbert Mead's theory of symbolically reconstructed pasts, this article explains the modern appeal of Masada, then brings it to bear on our general knowledge of collective memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on the tenth Roman legion, and the siege made on the fortress of Masada by the roman legion commander, Silva. Details on the persons sheltered in the fortress; Information on the fortress.

This article presents an analysis of a siege at Masada, Israel. Since the seige terminated in mass suicide by its 960 defenders, the analysis will utilize the classical sociological and etiological theory of writer Emile Durkheim. The historical and political actions antecedent to Masada are not recounted in this article, but it seems necessary to the author to confirm the credentials of writer Flavius Josephus as an observer and narrator, and to assess to what degree knowledge pertaining to the rhetorical situation is reliable. Central to Durkheimian approach is the importance he gives to social integration as a determinant of social behavior.

Since 2005, Egypt has a new land-use development policy to control unplanned human settlement growth and prevent outlying growth. This study assesses the impact of this policy shift on settlement growth in Assiut Governorate, Egypt, between 1999 and 2020. With symbolic machine learning, we extract built-up areas from Landsat images of 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 and a Landscape Expansion Index with a new QGIS plugin tool (Growth Classifier) developed to classify settlement growth types. The base year, 1999, was produced by the national remote sensing agency. After extracting the built-up areas from the Landsat images, eight settlement growth types (infill, expansion, edge-ribbon, linear branch, isolated cluster, proximate cluster, isolated scattered, and proximate scattered) were identified for four periods (1999:2005, 2005:2010, 2010:2015, and 2015:2020). The results show that prior to the policy shift of 2005, the growth rate for 1999–2005 was 11% p.a. In all subsequent periods, the growth rate exceeded the target rate of 1% p.a., though by varying amounts. The observed settlement growth rates were 5% (2005:2010), 7.4% (2010:2015), and 5.3% (2015:2020). Although the settlements in Assiut grew primarily through expansion and infill, with the latter growing in importance during the last two later periods, outlying growth is also evident. Using four class metrics (number of patches, patch density, mean patch area, and largest patch index) for the eight growth types, all types showed a fluctuated trend between all periods, except for expansion, which always tends to increase. To date, the policy to control human settlement expansion and outlying growth has been unsuccessful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of the 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls had an incomparable impact on the historical understanding of Judaism and Christianity. "Piecing together" scroll fragments is like solving jigsaw puzzles with an unknown number of missing parts. We used the fact that most scrolls are made from animal skins to "fingerprint" pieces based on DNA sequences. Genetic sorting of the scrolls illuminates their textual relationship and historical significance. Disambiguating the contested relationship between Jeremiah fragments supplies evidence that some scrolls were brought to the Qumran caves from elsewhere; significantly, they demonstrate that divergent versions of Jeremiah circulated in parallel throughout Israel (ancient Judea). Similarly, patterns discovered in non-biblical scrolls, particularly the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice , suggest that the Qumran scrolls represent the broader cultural milieu of the period. Finally, genetic analysis divorces debated fragments from the Qumran scrolls. Our study demonstrates that interdisciplinary approaches enrich the scholar's toolkit. • Dead Sea Scrolls fragments made of animal skins are classified based on ancient DNA • Disambiguating the debated relationship between fragments reveals new insights • Paleogenomics finds that some scriptural scrolls were brought from outside Qumran • Qumran and Masada scrolls represent the broad cultural matrix of Greco-Roman Judea Ancient DNA extraction from Dead Sea Scroll fragments made of animal skin is used to determine fragment origin and show unification of scrolls from distinct geological locations, highlighting the potential for genetics to illuminate the history of archaeological objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]