[Avodah] Kesuvot 112a - Any geologists who are familiar with the geology of EI?

[hankman]

On the last line of Kesuvot 112a, R. Hanina is mentioned as metaken maskelai (Rashi) or metakel maskelai (Tos). Tos. brings a Tanchuma that when R. Hanina travelled from Bavel to EI he would weigh the stones and when they became heavy he knew he was in EI. Does anyone know what geological fact about EI this was based on? Someone speculated this was because of the pasuk in Ekev 8:9 “eretz asher avoneho barzel” but so far as I know EI is not blessed with abundant and ever present (heavier) iron ore. (In fact the “Sipurno” explains this pasuk that it is an expression of the stones in EI being strong (like iron) and therefore good for construction. Are the stones in EI denser (or of a different composition or type) than stones elsewhere? Again I have not heard of such a difference that one could use to determine if one is in EI or not by their weight. Any geologists who are familiar with the geology of EI?

Kol tuv

Chaim Manaster
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