Tell Ruqeish
تل الرقيش | |
The summit of the Tell in 2022 | |
Shown within Palestine | |
| Alternative name | Tell er-Ruqeish; Tell ‘Akluk; Tell Ruqaish |
|---|---|
| Location | Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip, Palestine |
| Region | Levant |
| Coordinates | 31°24′55″N 34°19′41″E / 31.4153°N 34.3281°E |
| Area | 8 to 10 hectares (20 to 25 acres) |
| History | |
| Periods | Iron Age, Persian |
| Associated with | Philistines and Phoenicians |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1940, 1973, 1982–84, 1993 |
| Archaeologists |
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| Management | Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
Tell Ruqeish (Arabic: تل الرقيش) is an Iron Age settlement and archaeological site situated on the Mediterranean coast between Rafah and Gaza in the Gaza Strip. It was established in the 8th century BC and continued as a trading port by the Neo-Assyrian and Achaemenid empires until the 4th century BC. The tell (an archaeological mound) began as a fortified settlement, but the fortifications were abandoned while habitation continued. The remains include a cemetery, fortification walls, possible warehouses, and structures connected to industrial processes. The site was partially excavated at several points in the 20th century. Part of the settlement has been submerged by rising sea levels.