Israel tourism and travel guide 

Timna Park is a valley, located in southern Israel in the southwestern Arabah, approximately 30 km north of the the town of Eilat.
The Egyptians discovered copper ore as early as the 5th millennium BCE, in the Neolithic period, and began the world’s first copper production center in Timna valley.
During the 14th century BCE, the Egyptians established a trade route through Timna Valley as the surrounding areas heard about the copper-rich area.
Mining continued by the Israelites and Nabateans through the Roman period and the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, and then by the Ummayads from the Arabian Peninsula after the Arab conquest (in the 7th century CE) until the copper ore became scarce.
The modern state of Israel also began mining copper on the eastern edge of the valley in 1955, but ceased in 1976. The mine was reopened in 1980. For this mine they adopted the Biblical name Timnah which was the name of an Edomite chief.
Beyond the historical copper mines, Timna Valley attracts geologists and nature lovers with its rare stone formations and sand. Although predominantly red, the sand can be yellow, orange, grey, dark brown, or black. One can also find light green or blue sand near the copper mines. Water and wind erosion have created several unique formations that are only found in similar climates.​