Mamshit National Park

Mamshit (also Mampsis) was a Nabataean caravan stop that later became a Byzantine city in the Negev Desert[1]. Strategically positioned on the Incense Road, it connected Southern Arabia through Edom and the Arabah to Mediterranean ports and to Jerusalem via Beersheba and Hebron[1]. The settlement covers approximately 10 acres (40,000 m2), making it the smallest but best-preserved ancient city in the Negev[1]. Its once-luxurious houses feature distinctive architecture not found in any other Nabataean city[1].