Ruins of Avdat - Israel
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denben
N 30° 47.667 E 034° 46.402
36R E 669671 N 3408166
Avdat is an archaeological site in Israel which houses the pretty remains of an ancient Nabatean city later inhabited by the Romans, the Byzantines and the Arabs. It lies on a limestone hill overlooking the desert.
Waymark Code: WMG4DQ
Location: Israel
Date Posted: 01/11/2013
Views: 4
Avdat, also known as Ovdat and Obodat, was the most important city on the Incense Route after Petra, between the 1st century BCE and the 7th century CE. It was founded in the 3rd century BCE, and inhabited by Nabataeans, Romans, and Byzantines.
It was a seasonal camping ground for Nabataean caravans travelling along the early Petra–Gaza road (Darb es-Sultan) in the 3rd–late 2nd century BCE. The city's original name was changed to Avdat in honor of Nabataean King Obodas II, who, according to tradition, was revered as a deity and was buried there.
The town was totally destroyed by a local earthquake in the early 7th century and was never again occupied.
Today, the Avdat National Park encompasses the ruins of Avdat on top of the high limestone hill and the area down the slope. There are parking lots at the base of the hill and at its top. Tours at the site usually start from the top and end at the bottom.
Avdat was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in June 2005, but on 4 October 2009 the site suffered extensive damage when hundreds of artifacts were smashed and paint smeared on walls and an ancient wine press. Several suspects have been apprehended.
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