Route de l’encens – Villes du désert du Néguev

This site encompasses four Nabataean cities situated in the Negev Desert of southern Israel that flourished along the ancient Incense Route. The cities of Mamshit, Avdat, Shivta, and Nitzana developed as important trading hubs during the Nabataean period, facilitating commerce in frankincense, myrrh, and spices transported from southern Arabia to Mediterranean markets. The archaeological remains demonstrate sophisticated adaptation to an arid environment through innovative water management systems, including cisterns and channels that enabled agricultural settlement in the desert. The sites feature characteristic Nabataean architecture, including fortifications, temples, residential structures, and agricultural installations that reflect the region's economic prosperity and strategic importance in ancient trade networks. These ruins provide significant evidence of desert urbanism and the complex logistics required to sustain settlements in harsh climatic conditions during antiquity.

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