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Wednesday, November 09, 2005
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Seven New ‘World Heritage’ Sites in Israel
At the 29th meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee held in Durban, South Africa, 17
new World Heritage sites were named, seven of which are in Israel.
Three of the seven Israeli sites—Megiddo, Hatzor and Tel Sheva
(biblical Beersheba)—are tels (ancient mounds found in the Middle East), which
were formed by successive settlements built on top of one another. Rich in
biblical and archaeological evidence, some of the settlements uncovered in tels
date back to the Early Bronze Age.
The remaining four sites—Halutza, Avdat, Mamshit and
Shivta—are located in the Negev desert along the ancient Nabataen spice
route. All that remains of these cities are their fortresses and agricultural
landscapes.
Though Israel has many ancient and culturally unique sites that meet UNESCO’S
criteria for World Heritage sites, the ancient fortress at Masada and the old
city of Acre weren’t added until 2000. In 2003, the White City of Tel Aviv,
known for its unique architecture, was selected for the list. All in all, UNESCO
has identified 812 world heritage sites in 132 countries.
Photo: Shivta
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