Panoramic view of Shivta Negev Desert ,Israel
Shivta) Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List Shivta01 ST Country Israel Type Cultural Criteria iii, v Reference 1107 UNESCO region Europe and North America Inscription history Inscription 2005 (29th Session) Shivta ruins Shivta (Hebrew: שבטה, Arabic: شبطا), is an ancient city in the Negev Desert of Israel, east of Nitzana. Shivta was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2005. History[edit source] Long considered a classic Nabataean town on the ancient spice route, archaeologists are now considering the possibility that Shivta was also a Byzantine agricultural colony and a way station for pilgrims en route to the Saint Catherine Monastery in Sinai. Roman ruins from the first century BCE have been unearthed in the southern part of the town, but most of the archaeological findings date to the Byzantine period. Shivta’s water supply was based on surface runoff collected in large reservoirs. Three Byzantine churches (a main church and two smaller churches), 2 wine-presses, residential areas and administrative buildings have been excavated at Shivta. After the Arab conquest in the 7th century CE, the population dwindled. It was finally abandoned in the 8th or 9th Century CE. Water collection and irrigation are visible in the ruins of the city ,as are well preserved stables .
Size: 11850px × 3548px
Location: Shivta Negev Desert Israel
Photo credit: © moris kushelevitch / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: byzantine, conservation, desert, gaza, irrigation, israel, nabatean, negev, petra, roman, route, spice, water
