makhtesh
Sign in to savethumb|View of Makhtesh Ramon, the largest of Israel's five makhteshes thumb|Makhtesh Gadol's southern "Ribs" thumb|The larger Arif makhtesh A makhtesh ( (); : makhteshim, ) is a unique geological landform found primarily in the Negev desert of Israel and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A makhtesh has steep walls of resistant rock surrounding a deep closed valley, which is typically drained by a single wadi. The valleys have limited vegetation and soil, containing a variety of different-colored rocks and diverse fauna and flora. The best known and largest makhtesh is Makhtesh Ramon.
~4 min read
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Geology
- Negev
- Sinai
- Jordan
- Gallery
- References
- Further reading
thumb|View of Makhtesh Ramon, the largest of Israel's five makhteshes thumb|Makhtesh Gadol's southern "Ribs" thumb|The larger Arif makhtesh A makhtesh ( (); : makhteshim, ) is a unique geological landform found primarily in the Negev desert of Israel and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A makhtesh has steep walls of resistant rock surrounding a deep closed valley, which is typically drained by a single wadi. The valleys have limited vegetation and soil, containing a variety of different-colored rocks and diverse fauna and flora. The best known and largest makhtesh is Makhtesh Ramon.
==Etymology== Although commonly referred to as "craters", these formations are "erosion cirques" (steephead valleys or box canyons). Craters are formed by the impact of a meteor or volcanic eruption, whereas makhteshim are created by erosion.