Ein Avdat, a canyon in the
Negev Desert of southern Israel, as seen from
Midreshet Ben-Gurion. Numerous
springs at the southern opening of the canyon empty into deep pools in series of
waterfalls. The water emerges from the rock layers with salt-loving plants like
poplars and
atriplexes growing nearby. Archaeological evidence indicates that the canyon has been inhabited for more than 80,000 years, dating back at least to the
Mousterian culture.Photograph:
Andrew Shiva