Sharuhen

Welcome to the ancient ruins of Sharuhen, located in the sun baked expanse of the Negev desert near the modern border with Gaza. Today, you are standing atop what archaeologists formally identify as Tell el Farah South, a…

You have arrived at the base of the great mound, standing in what remains of the ancient approach trench or dry moat that once completely encircled the lower defenses of Sharuhen. Look up at the sheer incline of the hill looming…

We now stand before the foundational footprint of the main gate complex of Sharuhen. In ancient times, this would have been a terrifying bottleneck for any invading force. …

You are now walking along the elevated ridge that once supported the formidable western ramparts of Sharuhen. During the height of the Hyksos occupation, these walls were constructed of massive, unyielding stone blocks rising to…

We have now reached the interior heart of the ancient city. Look down at the deep, circular depressions in the earth around you. …

A short distance from the granaries, we find the remnants of the deep water shafts. In the blistering heat of the Negev desert, water is the ultimate arbiter of life and death. …

We are now standing at the northern periphery of the summit, an area where archaeologists have uncovered evidence of subterranean escape tunnels carved deeply into the bedrock. When starvation and disease pushed the Hyksos beyond…

Here, in the geographical center of the ruined fortress, we encounter the most fascinating and chilling aspect of Ahmose's victory. When a standard ancient army conquered a city, the immediate aftermath involved chaotic looting,…

As we walk toward the southern edge of the tell, we approach the area that once served as the burial grounds for the fallen. The archaeological discoveries made here are perhaps the most macabre of the entire site. …

We have reached the absolute summit of Tell el Farah South. As you look out over the vast, undulating landscape of the Negev, take a deep breath of the dry desert air. …