Qadesh-Barnea (Ain el-Qudeirat)
Kadesh Barnea · Ain el-Qudeirat · Qadesh-Barnea fortress
Iron I–II (c.1200–600 BCE)·Israelite/Judahite → Assyrian Negev administration·🇪🇬 Nahal El-Arish headwaters, northern Sinai-Negev, Egypt
About
About Qadesh-Barnea (Ain el-Qudeirat)
Stratified Iron Age desert fortress (65 × 55 m) at the oasis spring Ain el-Qudeirat, identified with biblical Kadesh-Barnea, excavated by Rudolph Cohen. Three successive fortresses: Iron I oval, Iron IIA–B citadel with casemate and gate, and Iron IIC Assyrian-Negev fortress destroyed c.600 BCE.
Why it mattersKey Nahal El-Arish headwaters, northern Sinai-Negev sequence for Iron I–II (c.1200–600 BCE); desert water-fortress controlling darb el-ghazza and way of shur.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Qadesh-Barnea (Ain el-Qudeirat) relative to neighbouring centres?
Theories
- 01Regional centre hypothesis for Nahal El-Arish headwaters
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Iron IA c.1200 BCE oval fortress
- Period
- Iron I–II (c.1200–600 BCE)
- Culture
- Israelite/Judahite → Assyrian Negev administration
- Builders
- Israelite/Judahite communities
- Purpose
- Desert water-fortress controlling Darb el-Ghazza and Way of Shur
- Abandoned
- c. 600 BCE
- Rediscovered
- 20th century survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1960
Foundation/earliest horizon
1980
Major excavations
2020
Conservation/monitoring
On the ground
Structures & features
30.6500° N · 34.4200° E · 430 m · 2 mapped features
Iron IIC fortress
fortressAssyrian-period casemate fortress with four-chamber gate
30.6502° N · 34.4203° EAin el-Qudeirat spring
springPerennial desert spring in fortress courtyard with cisterns
30.6498° N · 34.4197° E