PALESTINE 1940s AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS – NEGEV, MAMSHIT, KURNUB

PALESTINE 1940s AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS – NEGEV, MAMSHIT, KURNUB

5 Rare Aerial photographs of the ancient Nabatean city of Mamshit / Memphis / Mampsis / Kurnub in the Negev Desert in Israel.

The photographs were taken in 1945 (4 large ones) and 1948 (1 smaller one).

The ones from 1945 were probably taken by the British Air Force, as Britain was at the time ruler of Palestine. The 1948 one was apparently taken by the young Israeli Air Force only a few months after the establishment of the State of Israel, while the War of Independence was still going on!!

Sizes: Large ones - around 9x9 inch / 22.5x22.5 cm.

Small one – 5.5x5 inch, 13.5x13 cm.

Very good condition.

Mampsis (Medieval Greek: Μάμψις) or Memphis (Ancient Greek: Μέμφις), today Mamshit (Hebrew: ממשית), Arabic Kurnub, is a former Nabataean caravan stop and Byzantine city. In the Nabataean period, Mampsis was an important station on the Incense Road, connecting Southern Arabia through Edom, the Arabah and Ma'ale Akrabim, to the Mediterranean ports, as well as to Jerusalem via Beersheba and Hebron. The city covers 10 acres and is the smallest but best restored ancient city in the Negev Desert. The once-luxurious houses feature unusual architecture not found in any other Nabataean city.

The biggest hoard / treasure ever found in Israel was discovered in Mampsis, consisting of 10,500 silver coins with a total weight of 72 kg.

The Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev, including Mampsis, Haluza, Avdat, and Shivta, were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in June 2005.