•  
  •  
 

Gideon Avni

Abstract

In contrast to the sharp and clear-cut picture presented by Beatrice Caseau, it seems that Jerusalem tells a different story. The archaeological findings emphasize the establishment of a new urban zone in the eighth century CE, transferring the holy city into a multicultural hub of Christians, Muslims and Jews. This process was completed in the division of the city into welldefined quarters, as existing today. In a recent book by Mattia Giudetti, studying the contacts between churches and mosques in cities of the Early Islamic period, the author presents a different narrative for relationships between Christians and Muslims in the newly created multicultural cities. In Jerusalem, the situation seems to have been somewhere in the middle, between these two suggested narratives. The new Islamic regime expressed religious tolerance and enabled the continued presence of Christians in Jerusalem, who indeed comprised most of the city’s population throughout the Early Islamic period. The Muslims also allowed a small Jewish community to reside in Jerusalem, and thus, a modest Jewish quarter was formed between the Muslim and Christian quarters. Nevertheless, there were numerous events of tension and violence between the competing religious communities in Jerusalem, with occasional riots and damage caused to churches. Throughout the period, there was a slow but constant process of penetration of Muslims into Christian domains, culminating in the tenth and eleventh centuries.

Download

Share

COinS