The Rectangular Fortress at Kadesh-Barnea / המצודה המלבנית בקדש-ברנע — הערות למסקנות החפירה של ר' כהן

In 1956 M. Dothan carried out trial excavations at Kadesh-Barnea, discerning a single rectangular fortress dating to the 8th–6th centuries BCE. In 1976–1982 R. Cohen conducted large-scale excavations at the site. Cohen concluded that two superimposed rectangular fortresses were erected here: the 'Middle Fortress', characterized by a solid wall with projecting towers, and above it, the 'Upper Fortress', surrounded by a casemate wall. In our opinion, the stratigraphic data indicate the existence here of only one rectangular fortress, as observed by Dothan. The solid wall of the 'Middle Fortress' is merely the lower part of the fortress wall, the superimposed casemate wall forming its upper part. It would appear that a different strategy should have been adopted in the excavation of the site. The rectangular fortress dates to the 8th–6th centuries BCE and was destroyed by fire. Adopting N. Na'aman's view that the kingdom of Judah did not extend to that region, it is not clear who built the fortress and who destroyed it. Significantly, Kadesh-Barnea was an abandoned site around 800 BCE when Kuntillet ʿAjrud was settled; hence, Kadesh-Barnea did not serve as a station along the road leading from the north to Kuntillet ʿAjrud.