Haluza

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Haluza, also known as Halasa and Elusa, is a city in the Negev that was once part of the Nabataean Incense Route. Due to this historic importance, UNESCO have granted four cities in the Negev the joint status of a World Heritage Site; Haluza is one of these, the others being Mamshit, Avdat, Shivta. The city is one of the two main potential locations for the Biblical city of Ziklag^[1], Ziklag being considered in this case a corruption of Halusah, meaning fortress^[2].

Archaeological surveys of the area are partly hampered by the presence of shifting sands around the city, though Nabataean era streets have been found, along with two churches, a theatre, winepress, and tower^[3]. Unlike the other cities on the Incense route, Haluza has been excavated without sufficient care to return stones to their original places, compromising future excavation, and the site is generally badly looked after^[4].

1. ^ Jewish Encyclopedia; Easton's Bible Dictionary; Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica
2. ^ Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica
3. ^ UNESCO advisory report (pdf)
4. ^ ibid