The Dead Sea was first visible about 3 million years ago and its inception has been the subject of many writings, both ancient and present. It all began when the area was repeatedly flooded with waters from the nearby Red Sea. As the years passed, the resulting collection of water formed a shore that reached through the Jezreel Valley. The floods and climate changes contributed to many geologic changes. Approximately after 1 million years, the land rose in such a way that the ocean could no longer flood the area, and the existing water stayed – this area became an inland sea known as the Dead Sea.

The East Rift Valley is responsible for the continued sinking of the Dead Sea. It runs through a large portion of Africa, and begins just north of the Dead Sea. Along this valley, the earth's crust is thinning and spreading. As the plates spread further apart, the Dead Sea "sinks" – as much as 13 inches per year. This rate of sinking is quite impressive in geologic terms, and contributes to be a mystery that surrounds the Dead Sea.