Beit Eshel, Heritage site ruins in Beersheba, Israel
Beit Eshel is an archaeological site located two kilometers southeast of Beersheba, displaying the remains of a Jewish settlement in the Negev desert. The ruins sit near the Beersheba River and contain traces from different historical periods.
The settlement was founded in 1943 as one of three defensive outposts and served as an agricultural research station. Egyptian forces attacked the site in May 1948, ending this chapter of its active use.
The name Beit Eshel means House of the Tamarisk, referencing the biblical story of Abraham planting these trees in the Beersheba region. This connection to religious tradition remains part of how visitors understand the site today.
Access is via a marked path near the Beersheba River, which features informational signs at the site. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for open, flat terrain.
Excavations in 2003 uncovered flint sickle blades from the fifth millennium BCE, indicating an ancient Chalcolithic workshop. These discoveries reveal that the location was used as a production site long before modern settlement.
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