Mount SinaiThis study of the Egyptian mountain widely believed to be Mount Sinai examines its geographical features, sacred sites, and the effects of rising tourism. Amid the high mountains of Egypt's southern Sinai Peninsula stands Jebel Musa, “Mount Moses,” which many Christians and Muslims revere as Mount Sinai. In this fascinating study, Joseph Hobbs draws on geography and archaeology, Biblical and Quranic accounts, and a wide array of personal experiences—from Christian monks to Bedouin shepherds, medieval Europeans, and casual tourists—to explore why this mountain came to be considered a sacred place. He also shows how that very perception now threatens its fragile ecology and inspiring solitude. After discussing the physical and geographic characteristics of Jebel Musa that suggest it as the most probable Mount Sinai, Hobbs fully describes all Christian and Muslim sacred sites around the mountain. He also views Mount Sinai from the perspectives of the Jabaliya Bedouins and the monks of the St. Katherine Monastery, both of whom have inhabited in the region for centuries. Hobbs concludes his account with the international debate over whether to build a cable car on Mount Sinai and with an unflinching description of the negative impact of tourism on the delicate desert environment. His book raises important, troubling questions for everyone concerned about the fate of the earth's wild and sacred places. |
Contents
Three THE HEAVENLY CITIZENSHIP | |
Four THE MONASTERY OF SAINT KATHERINE | |
Five THE CHRISTIAN LANDSCAPE | |
Six THE PEOPLE OF THE MOUNTAIN | |
Seven THE BEDOUIN WAY OF LIFE | |
Eight THE PILGRIM | |
Nine THE TRAVELER | |
Ten THE TOURIST | |
Eleven THE NEW GOLDEN CALF | |
CONCLUSION | |
REFERENCES CITED | |
INDEX | |
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Common terms and phrases
animals Arabic at-Tur Basin of Elijah Bedouins Bellorini and Hoade Biblical built Burckhardt burning bush cable car Cairo camel camp century chapel Christian church climb desert Dobson Eckenstein Edward Palmer Egypt Egyptian pounds Etheria Exodus Father Makarios garden goats Gulf of Suez Har-El hermits high Sinai holy ibex Israel Israeli Israelites Jabaliya Jabaliya say Jarvis Jebel Katarina Jebel Musa Jerusalem Katherine Katherine’s Katriin kilometers land landscape leopard live Mahmuud Mansuur meters Monastery of St monastery’s monks monks and Bedouins monks of St Monks today Moses Mount Sinai Musa’s Muslim Nabi Haruun nearby nomads orchard peninsula Perevolotsky pilgrimage pilgrims Plain of ar-Raaha plants Pococke Prophet Rabinowitz Ras Safsaafa red granite Richard Pococke Ritter rock route Shaykh Shefik Sinai Peninsula Skrobucha spiritual stone summit of Jebel Tinya Tischendorf tradition travelers trees tribes valley visitors Wadi Wadi Abu Wadi ad-Dayr Wadi Feiran wild wilderness wrote Yahweh