Ein es-Sultan is a natural spring in

Jericho Jericho ( ; , ) is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, and the capital of the Jericho Governorate. Jericho is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It had a population of 20,907 in 2017. F ...

, at the site of ancient Jericho, which has been identified with the tell (archaeological mound) known as

Tell es-Sultan Tell es-Sultan (, ''lit.'' Sultan's Hill), also known as Tel Jericho or Ancient Jericho, is an archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Palestine, in the city of Jericho, consisting of the remains of the oldest fortified city in th ...

. It is known by Jews and Christians as the Spring of Elisha/Elisha's Spring, based on a biblical story about Prophet

Elisha Elisha was, according to the Hebrew Bible, a Jewish prophet and a wonder-worker. His name is commonly transliterated into English as Elisha via Hebrew, Eliseus via Greek and Latin, Ełishe (Yeghishe/Elisha) via Armenian or Alyasa via Arabic, a ...

(see 2 Kings 2: The early acts of Elisha: bringing life and death (2:19-25)). In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, it was also known as Elisha's Fountain. The

Ein as-Sultan camp ʿEin es-Sulṭān camp (), or ʿEin Sultan camp, is a refugee camp in the Jericho Governorate of the State of Palestine, in the Jordan Valley, in the eastern West Bank. The village is located adjacent to the Ein es-Sultan or Elisha Spring, ...

just north of it is named for the spring.

Etymology

''Ein'' is Arabic for spring, ''sultan'' for ruler, king. Alternative spelling variants include 'ein, ain, 'ain, ayn, and 'ayn, and for the definite article el, al, and as.

History

The first permanent settlement built near ancient

was at Tell es-Sultan, by the Ein es-Sultan spring, between 8000 and 7000 BC, and consisted of a number of walls, a religious shrine, and a 23-foot (7.0 m) tower with an internal staircase. After a few centuries, it was abandoned for a second settlement established in 6800 BC close by. To

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

and

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

, the Ein es-Sultan spring is known as the "Spring of Elisha", after the biblical story about its purification by the

prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...

. The Byzantines built a domed church nearby dedicated to Saint Eliseus (Elisha in Greek). The

Crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...

improved the water mills at Ein es-Sultan.Michael Dumper, Bruce E. Stanley, Janet L. Abu-Lughod (2007). ''Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO, p. 205. In 2010, the spring saw the end of a year-long rehabilitation programme. By 2000 a protective building which helps avoid contamination of the water had been erected over the spring, and by 2010 the rehabilitation included the old facilities, the preservation of archaeological remains, and landscaping works at the site for tourism purposes. The Government of Italy led and financed the project, with support from the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

-Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP-PAPP), as part of an upgrading effort of water networks in Jericho and Hebron.

References

{{reflist Archaeological sites in the West Bank Tourist attractions in Palestine Elisha