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Composition of Dead Sea Salts

The Dead Sea has the highest salt content of any of the world's seas. The Encyclopedia Britannica indicates that the name can be traced back to the Hellenistic period (323 to 30 B.C.).

- The Dead Sea
History
- The biblical King David is said to have retreated to the Dead Sea, and the ancient Egyptians used products from it for mummification rituals.
Geography
- The Dead Sea, near Jordan and Israel in the Middle East, is actually a hypersaline lake. At 1,385 feet below sea level, it is the lowest dry-land elevation on earth.
Composition
- Sodium chloride is a small percentage of the Dead Sea compared with ordinary sea water. The major components are magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, calcium chloride and H2O (water of crystallization).
Benefits
- Because of its therapeutic benefits, Dead Sea salts are used for bathing. Soaking in Dead Sea salts have been shown to relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis, tendinitis and psoriasis.The salts are also used in salt scrubs and hair conditioners.
Fun Fact
- The Queen of Sheba first believed in the mystical healing powers of the Dead Sea, according to legend. And Cleopatra traveled from Egypt to build the world's first spa there.

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