The ancient site of Nessana (Nitzana) is located on the Israeli–Egyptian border, in south-western Negev. Established as a Nabatean caravan station during the Hellenistic period (ca. fourth – third century BCE), it later turns into a Roman garrison site, and reaches it peak during the Byzantine and Early Islamic period (fifth–seventh centuries CE). Serving the main caravan hub on the Christian sacred journeys road from the Holy Land to Sinai, Nessana enjoys all the economic benefits of the pilgrimage, and turns into flourishing urbanized village with population of 6,000–7,000 people, with caravanserais and numerous churches. The site, abandoned sometime during the Abbasid period, at the ninth–tenth century, was inhabited once again only in the eve of the First Wolrd War when the Ottoman authorities decide to turn it into an administrative and military center of the region. This new settlement, known as ‘Auja al-Hafir, has been built on the top of ancient remains and badly damaged the antiquities.

Nessana ancient remains were explored by numerous researchers starting from the late 19th century; two archaeological expeditions were working at the site during the 20th century. First was the expedition of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, leaded by H.D. Colt (1935–1937), which concentrated its efforts in the upper town and uncovered the remains of military fort and two monumental churches, both preserving the archives of papyri, written in Greek and Arabic and dated to the sixth–seventh centuries. Survived thanks to the arid climate, the papyri - private and official documents, literary and military texts, - kept precious information on life and economy of the site, names of some of its residents, their involvement in local agriculture and pilgrimage, and also revealed the ancient name of the village: Νεσάνα.

In 1987–1996 the site was excavated by the expedition of the Archaeological Division of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, led by D. Urman and J. Shershevski.  Numerous excavation areas were opened in the upper and lower town, revealing numerous private and public buildings, among them a monastery and a church. Rich archaeological material – ceramic and glass vessels, coins and epigraphic finds, - was obtained, but the premature death of both excavation directors prevented the full publication of the finds.

The renewed excavations project, started in 2022, was directed by Dr. Yana Tchekhanovets on behalf of the Department of Archaeology of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The first season was defined as a study excavation and was attended by students and graduates of the department, as diggers and as part of the professional team. The renewed excavations project at Nessana will focus on the problematics of the archaeology of pilgrimage. Despite the intensive excavation previously conducted at the site, the plan of the lower town of Nessana with its public areas, markets, and streets in the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods, still remains archaeologically unknown. Pilgrimage played a major role in the life of the settlement, as clearly reflected in a number of church buildings erected at the site and in the testimonies of the Nessana papyri.
 

The planned expedition work stands on four pillars: