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Nahal Gerar, also Nachal Grar () is a wadi in Israel, in the Negev desert. Its Arabic name is Wadi esh-Sheri'a (also Wady el Sharia and other variations). getamap.com, Wādi esh Sharī`a (Nahal Gerar) / Southern District Along this wadi, there are several important ancient Bronze Age archaeological sites. During the Early Iron Age this was an area of Philistines settlement.
The reserve consists of two parts. The first has an area of about 2,000 dunams (2 square kilometers) and is located between Rahat and Tidhar, the other has an area of about 5,500 dunams (5.5 square kilometers) and lies between the villages Ranen and Re'im.
The major settlement of this area started at the time of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom, and continued into the New Kingdom, when some significant Egyptian settlements were founded. After the decline of the Egyptian sites, during the Early Iron Age, this area became culturally influenced by the Philistine settlers.
The major sites in this area are Tel Haror/Tell Abu Hareira, and Tel Shera/Tell esh-Sheri'a. Further east along the river, there are also the sites of Tel Halif/Tell el-Khuweilifeh and Tell Beit Mirsim.
Near Tel Haror, in the neighbourhood of the modern town of Tidhar, there are numerous historical mounds, some of them not excavated. Some scholars believe that Tel Haror was the ancient Sharuhen fortress of the Hyksos.
Where Nahal Gerar flows into Nahal Besor, there's the large ancient site of Tell Jemmeh (Tell Gamma).
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