Chapter V : Charmutha, Becius : The waterfalls of Charmutha

Chapter IV <<< French Version >>> Chapter VI

 According to Diodorus the Sicilian, Charmutha was one of the most famous ports of the ancient world. The writings of this navigator (see chapters III and IV) allowed us to situate this city between Djeddha and Almojermah, south of the five pyramidal mountains and north of the flat hill. Then, after, our study on the Tropic of Cancer was interested in Becius, this powerful river that crossed throught Charmutha. It allowed us to define a large area of the Hejaz that framed the river’s position where it traversed the mountain barrier: Ushash city in the north and Taif city in the south. The objective of this new chapter « the Charmutha waterfalls » is to identify precisely this pass, which will serve us to redraw the course of Becius upstream and downstream of Hedjaz.

  •  Chapitre IV : Charmutha, Becius : The waterfalls of Charmutha

 Charmutha-3-a

Figure V.a : Map of the Arabian Peninsula according to Ptolemy

For this chapter called « The waterfalls of Charmutha « , we’ll exploit the Ptolemy map of on the Arabian Peninsula (figure V.a, see « Cosmographia », reference n°8) whose scales are on the abscissa longitudes from 67 ° to 104 ° and on the ordinate the latitudes from 10 ° to 31 °. As a reminder, our goal is to seek the river’s pass through the mountain barrier of Hedjaz, which could be suitable for the Becius representation in Figure V.a.  First, we must list all the important remarks that will serve to trace the way of this disappeared river:

1 – the Becius begins from the Red Sea, south of a rocky cape and the Tropic of Cancer;

2 – then it crosses the mountainous barrier called Hedjaz, this barrier also represents the limits of the coastal kingdoms;

3 – beyond the Hejaz, it is subdivided into 3 rivers, each taking an opposite direction: North, South and East;

4 – The main river rises to the east and is subdivided again in two (including the Becius) which take, both, source in the same mountainous massif in the center of the Arabian peninsula.

5 – the river is bounded on the north by the Ushash city (latitude 23 ° 30) and on the south by the Taif city in the Asir massif.

 Charmutha-5-b

Figure V.b : Hedjaz topography betyween Ushash et Taif (source google map)

 To locate the Becius pass through the Hejaz, it is necessary to analyze the topography of this mountainous barrier between the cities of Ushash (latitude 23,3 °) and Taif (latitude 21,5 °). Figure V.b shows three interesting areas: N°1 – at Ushash level; N°2 – at Rabigh level; N°3 – at the level of Jeddha. The second zone is quickly excluded as there is no valley across the Hejaz (see Figure V.b).

 Charmutha-5-c  Figure V.c : Hedjaz topography at level of first zone (source google map)

 For the first zone, figure V.c shows that beyond the mountainous barrier, there is a basin with 3 « dams »: n°1.SE – at South-East and at an altitude of 970 meters ; N°1.N – at North and an altitude of 970 meters; and N°1.0 – at West and an altitude of 1040 meters. First remark, because of the altitudes, the course of the river would go primarily from the South-East (N°1.SE) to the North (N°1.N) instead of the West (N°1.O). A direct outlet on the Red Sea (Pass N°1.C) would only be possible if there was a dam at the north (Pass N°1.N) that would block the river and divert it to the west … Second remark, there are only 3 valleys (West, North and Southeast) while we expected to have four (West, North, East and South). For these reasons, we can exclude the first zone.

 Charmutha-5-d

Figure V.d : Hedjaz topography at level of third zone (source google map)

For the third zone, figure Vd presents, this time, four valleys (West, North, East and South) beyond the mountain barrier, which are noted n°3.O, n°3.N , N°3.E and N°3S. As expected, these are similar to those expected for the Becius river. However, there are two disadvantages for the northern valley: the presence of a basin that should give a lake on the map and a difference in altitude to that expected …

 Charmutha-5-e

Figure V.e : Hedjaz satellite photo between Ushash et Taif (source google map)

 To explain these inconsistencies 2000 years later, we must analyze the satellite photos of this area ( see Figure V.e). These show the presence of a large sand dune south of aeolian origin. In the Ptolemy time, there must have been a clay layer that covered the basin to the north and, then, this clay has been transformed into sand and the wind moved it to the south.

Charmutha-5-f Figure V.f : Hedjaz satellite photo at level of thrird zone between Ushash et Taif

 Our analysis allows us to reach the following conclusion: if there was a Becius pass through the Hedjaz, it would be only at the level of the first zone, that of Jeddah. It is now necessary to locate the position where the river crossed the moutain barrier. To do this, we must use the satellite photo of the noted area (see Figure V.f). We can see the presence of 4 sand lakes (noted from south to north L1, L2, L3 and L4) : :

– L1: GPS coordinates (21.5 °, 40.5 °): altitude of 2000 meters, at Taif’s level, the lake being inside a caldera;

– L2: GPS coordinates (21.6 °, 40.4 °): altitude of 1155 meters, at level of As Sail as Kabeer, on Route N°40;

– L3: GPS coordinates (21.8 °, 40.5 °): altitude of 1140 meters, at level of Al Qufayf, on the road n°4279.

– L4: GPS coordinates (22 °, 40 °): altitude of 1050 meters, without reference to a city or a road nearby.

 Charmutha-5-g

Figure V.g : satellite photo of the 3 lakes with their valleys

 Downstream of these four lakes (see figure V.g), there is an important network of valleys which lead to two towns near to each other: Madiq and Az Zemah. To the west of L2 lake, we can see a valley that descends directly to Az Zemah (along Highway n°40) and to the north, two others that meet before arriving at Maskar. We can then see a valley descending from the west of L3 lake to Maskar. To the west of L4 lake, there is also a valley bound for Maskar, hardly visible since it is mainly covered with sand

Figure V.h : satellite photos in valleys downstream of lakes

 In each of these valleys, the satellite photos (see figure V.h) show the presence of an agricultural activity (tree, field, …), which reveals the existence of underground rivers covered by sand. The geographical description of this area shows the existence of a strong hydraulic activity and that all these lakes were once active, hence the title of this chapter: « The waterfalls of Charmutha ».

 

Figure V.i : topography of the Becius pass through the Hejaz (source google map)

 

Beyond the mountainous barrier, Ptolemy had schematized a valley to the north and another to the south. To respect the south/north gradient, the Becius pass can only be the lowest point of the Hejaz. And here, only lake N°L4 respects this condition. Our study therefore allows us to affirm that the Becius crossed the Hejaz at 22 ° latitude and 40 ° longitude (see figure V.i). The location of this pass will allow us, in the next chapter, to redraw the course of Becius upstream and downstream of the mountain barrier…

 

Nota Bene : In 2016, the people of Nantes voted YES in the referendum for the airport transfer to Notre-Dame-Des-Landes, YES for ecological, economic but also sanitary reasons as the noise significantly increases mortality among frail populations exposed to the passage of planes (pre-natal mortality, cardiovascular accident, …). By rejecting this transfer, MACRON has flouted democracy and the will of the people. He also made the decision to sacrifice human lives to satisfy his ego. That is why Macron’s deadly ideology is nearer to that of the Nazis than to the center, fascism and murder not being democratic values.

Charmutha , Becius : Summary :

1 – The old stories of Charmutha

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2017/07/21/chapiter-i-charmutha-betius-the-quest-for-the-mysterious-city-and-the-vanished-river/

2 – The coastline of Charmutha

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2017/07/29/chapiter-ii-charmutha-betius-the-quest-for-the-charmothas-coastline/

3 – The old maps of Ptolemy

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/chapiter-iii-charmutha-becius-the-maps-of-ptolemy/

4 – the Tropic of Cancer

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2018/01/03/chapiter-iv-charmutha-becius-the-tropic-of-cancer/

5 – Charmutha waterfalls

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2018/02/20/chapiter-v-charmutha-becius-the-waterfalls-of-charmutha/

6 – Becius, the disapperead river

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2018/04/24/chapter-vi-charmutha-becius-this-disappeared-river/

7 – The Punt Kingdom and its countries

https://nantt44.wordpress.com/2018/08/27/chapter-vii-charmutha-becius-the-punt-kingdom-and-its-countries/

8 – The Felix Arabia

To following.

9 – The Quersonnesse of Charmutha

To following.

10 – The Cothone of Charmutha

To following.

11 – The Acropolis of Charmutha

To following.

12 – The divine country

To following.

Bibliographie :

1 – « Les Trois premiers livres de l’histoire de Diodore Sicilien, historiographe grec » de Anthoine Macault en 1541 :

https://books.google.fr/books?id=biBkAAAAcAAJ&pg=RA3-PA129&dq=banizomenes&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRk__y85nUAhUGMhoKHcaRD0IQ6AEIIjAA#v=onepage&q=banizomenes&f=false

2 – « Géographie de Strabon. » par François Jean Gabriel de L Porte Du Theil en 1819 :

https://books.google.fr/books?id=1ndNAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA187&dq=livre+XVI+strabo&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDysXd9JnUAhVLPRoKHVOUCicQ6AEIIjAA#v=onepage&q=livre%20XVI%20strabo&f=false

3 – «The Historical Library of Diodorus the Sicilian »

https://books.google.fr/books?id=oysUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA185&dq=carmutha&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNr_PrkpDVAhUBzxQKHQaOD2wQ6AEIPjAD#v=onepage&q=carmutha&f=false

4 – Le catalogue du site “Ancien Ports Antiques” :

https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/the-catalogue/red-sea-gulf/

5 – Photos satellites à partir du site « google-maps.pro » :

http://google-maps.pro/satellite/Jeddah

6 – Topographie de la zone à partir du site « fr-fr.topographic-map.com » :

http://fr-fr.topographic-map.com/places/La-Mecque-4243501/

7 – Anciens témoignages sur les arabes :

https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/arabia1.asp

8 – « Cosmographia » de Ptolémée aux alentours du 2ème siècle :

https://archive.org/stream/cosmographia00ptol#page/n109/mode/2up

9 – « Les dieux de l’Égypte : Que sais-je », n°1194

https://books.google.fr/books?id=EbEICwAAQBAJ&pg=PT30&dq=ba+dieux&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjp3_LhoMDWAhWoLMAKHTczA58Q6AEINjAC#v=onepage&q=ba%20dieux&f=false

10 – « Inclinaison de l’axe terrestre » : Wikipedia

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclinaison_de_l%27axe

 

 

 

9 réflexions sur “Chapter V : Charmutha, Becius : The waterfalls of Charmutha

  1. Pingback: Chapiter I : Charmutha, Bétius : the quest for the mysterious city and the vanished river | nantt44

  2. Pingback: Chapiter II – Charmutha, Bétius : The quest for the Charmothas coastline… | nantt44

  3. Pingback: Chapiter III : Charmutha, Becius : The maps of Ptolemy | nantt44

  4. Pingback: Chapiter IV : Charmutha, Becius : The Tropic of Cancer | nantt44

  5. Pingback: Chapter VI : Charmutha, Becius : this disappeared river | nantt44

  6. Pingback: Chapter VII : Charmutha, Becius : The Punt kingdom and its countries | nantt44

  7. Pingback: Chapter II : The quest for the Charmothas coastline | nantt44

  8. Pingback: Chapter VIII : Betius, Charmutha : Arabia Felix and the climatic change. | nantt44

  9. Pingback: Chapitre V : Charmutha, Becius : les cascades de Charmutha | nantt44

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