like other Nabataean cities, Mamshit served too as one of the traveling posts in the ancient Incense Route. The modern name Mamshit (which was given by the National Commission for Names, is derived from the Roman-Byzantine name of the city – Mampsis; however, in Arabic it is called Kurnuv, after the name of a drink made from milk, honey and dates. like the taste of this exotic drink, a visit to the Negev in general and to the ancient city, Mamshit, in particular, does leave a thirst for more.
Regional Map
In Sukkoth and Pesach [the feasts of Tabernacles and Passover] the Israel Nature and National Parks Authority organizes a colorful Nabataean market in the place.
Arriving There
Drive south on route 40 to Be'er Sheva, turn left, eastward, in Goral Junction and by-pass Be'er Sheva in the new by-passing route 406 that cuts the Goral Hills, then turn right in Tel Sheva Junction, and left in Hativat Ha-Negev Junction. (The nearby monument for the Negev Brigade was built as a memorial for the Independence War battles for freeing the area.) Continue left and eastward in Sarah Junction toward Dimona. (One of the first Development Towns that was established in 1955 as a dwelling base for the workers of the Dead Sea Works. It is named after a city in the territory of Judah tribe, and a community of the Black African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem leaves here.) Drive on route 25, pass Dimona, and after a few minutes of drive, you will reach a sign that directs right, southward, to the National Garden Mamshit.
The Ancient Mamshit
Mamshit is positioned between Hatira Range (which includes also the Big Makhtesh, which therefore is called also Makhtesh Hatira) and Ef'e Range (and Dimona is located on its skirts). like the other Negev Nabataean settlements, Mamshit too had developed first as a trade post for the caravansaries that had crossed the desert from Petra to Gaza. The area surrounding this city has many water sources, relatively to a desert - Nahal Mamshit, Wells, Water Cisterns and Tamilot. (Places in which underground water is very close to the surface, and therefore only a brief digging is enough for pumping it.) This fact, in addition to its position – exactly a day walk from the previous post in the Incense Route, e.g. Ein Hazeva – had contributed to making it an important city.
During the Nabataean period, the city economics was based mainly on trade and agriculture that was cultivated in the basin that surround the city, and also in further areas, even 25 km [15.5 miles] away from the city. In 106 AD, after it was annexed to the Roman Empire, a Roman garrison was posted in it, to guard part of the southern frontier of the Empire, and big dams were built in its vicinity, of which two are still standing until today, for supplying water. During the Byzantine Era, the entire population of the city, that counted some thousands of people, became Christian, like in the other Nabataean Cities, and two churches were built in it. Toward the six century AD and following to the Muslim conquest, Mamshit waned, and mainly ruins are what left of it. During the British Mandate, a Patrol Police was positioned in the place, and its remnants are seen today. Mamshit is a National Park and the entrance fees and opening hours are detailed in the end of the route.
Sites
City Gate – A roofed guardhouse that was protected by two towers, which is well recovered.
The Palace – A vast and unique luxurious house, consisted of guardroom, reception hall, archive, servant rooms, dwelling quarter and more.
The Dams – Two of them were built by the Nabataeans and one by the British. They had a storing capacity of thousands cubic meters of water, which were used for refilling the pools and water pits of the city.
St. Nilus Church – The Church is decorated by a number of mosaic floors, and one of them has the following inscription: O Lord save your servant Nilus, Jesus-lover who established this [building], and guard the members of this household or O Lord help Abbr[aham] son of Zenobius, the paramounarius [the cleric who had charge of the church].
Church of the Saints and Martyrs –The name derives from relics of human bones that were found in it, probably as an ancient remnant of a communion of saint ritual.
Fresco House – Spacious and beautiful house with stalls and frescos that were preserved during thousands of years.
The City Swimming Pool – A big swimming pool with a capacity of 1,500 cubic meters water. During the excavations, an inscription was found: For Flavius Gormus, the son of Zechariahu, you have completed one work of the obligatory works for the swimming pool, 25 to the month of Deus. (This proves that obligatory kitchen works for Discipline Master Sergeants are an old patent.)
The Stalls. An integral part of the city life were commerce and agriculture, and horses were used in both of them. One of the stalls that were found in Mamshit had enough place for accommodating 16 horses.
Bathhouse – The bathhouse was divided into three parts:
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Frigidarium – the cold water room;
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Tepidarium – the lukewarm water room;
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Caldarium – the hot water room that was heated by burning wood in an underfloor special heating system.
The City Citadel – It was built on the highest altitude in the city for defending it. During the 1920' and 1930' most of its building stones were removed for the British Camel Riders' police station.
From the north-west part of the site there is an access path to Shevil Israel [cross-Israel footpath] which is marked with blue-white-orange signs that leads to the dam, and then continues in the waterbed of Nahal Mamshit and Be'er Mamshit [Mamshit's canyon and well]. The well was dug by the British for who care to supply water for the Bedouins in the area, and maybe they rebuilt it from an extant Nabataean well. Continuing down the canyon will bring you to a set of agricultural Nabataean terraces an excellently utilized device for overcoming the scarce amount of rainfall in the area. In the junction of the footpaths, continue with the red one (cross-Israel footpath continues to the big Makhtesh south to you) until you will reach route 206, and if you choose this route you should leave one vehicle there.
Useful Information
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Entrance fee: individual: adult: NIS 18; child: NIS 7; group: adult: NIS 15; child: NIS 7.
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Tel.: 08-6556478. Visiting hours; April-September; 08:00 – 17:00. October-March: 08:00 - 16:00
For more information, see the following links:
Other Nabataean sites in this website: Shivta, Avdat
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The Palace
