Naẖal HaRo'a (Hebrew: נחל הרועה, lit.'Shepherd's Wadi', with the word for "shepherd" being in its feminine form) is a wadi in the northern Negev Mountains, from the tributaries of Nahal HaBesor. Along its length are impressive remains of ancient Nabatean agriculture and a water plant by means of which the stream crosses Kemer Halukim. One of its tributaries is Nahal Halukim (lit.'Pebbles Wadi' or 'Cobbles Wadi'); the ancient name of the stream was "Wadi Halikom", after the riverbed pebbles (Hebrew: חלוקי נחל, ẖalukei naẖal) whose name has been preserved in Kemer Halukim.

Naẖal HaRo'a
נחל הרועה
Map
Location
CountryIsrael
Physical characteristics
Mouth 
  location
Nahal Boker [cs]
  coordinates
30°54′10″N 34°46′0″E / 30.90278°N 34.76667°E / 30.90278; 34.76667
Haroah recreation park.jpg

The wadi's name (meaning "Shepherd's Wadi" or "Shepherd's Creek"), along with the nearby Shepherd's Parking (חניון הרועה, H̱anyon HaRo'a), was given in memory of Barbara Proper[1] (1930–1952), who was murdered on the spot by Bedouins from the area. Barbara Proper was born in Germany, to a Jewish mother. She immigrated to Israel and grew up in Jerusalem, as an adopted daughter of Johanna and Dr. Emmanuel Proper [he].

The Shepherd's Ruins [he] (חורבת הרועה, H̱urbat HaRo'a), or the Shepherd's Site (אתר הרועה, Atar HaRo'a), is an archaeological site located in the Negev Mountains, about 5 km northeast of kibbutz Sde Boker, near the road from there to Yeruham, at 30°54′28″N 34°51′12″E / 30.90778°N 34.85333°E / 30.90778; 34.85333. The site is located on a hill that dominates an ancient road along Nahal HaRo'a, which is 10 m above its surroundings, and 550 m above sea level.

References

edit