Horvat Qitmit Edomite Shrine
The shrine provides unusually vivid archaeological evidence of religious practices associated with Edomite culture during the final centuries of the kingdom of Judah. Its pottery, figurines, and inscriptions help illuminate the interaction of peoples in the Negev. The site does not establish that a particular biblical event occurred there.
About the Discovery
Horvat Qitmit is an Iron Age religious site in the eastern Negev, excavated beginning in 1984 under Itzhaq Beit-Arieh. Archaeologists uncovered remains of buildings and open-air installations, along with pottery, clay figurines, decorated cult stands, and other objects used in religious activity.
Several finds show strong connections with Edomite culture, including pottery styles and inscriptions associated with Qos, a deity worshiped by Edomites. The excavator identified the site as an Edomite shrine. Scholars continue to discuss who used it and whether its worshipers were exclusively Edomite.
Scripture Reference
Genesis 36; 2 Kings 8:20–22; Obadiah 1:1–14 (biblical background concerning Edom; none refers directly to this shrine).