Abstract
Very little is known about the history of Lod during the Early Islamic period. According to descriptions of ninth-century CE geographers, Lod was destroyed after the founding of Ramla. However, contrary to the written sources, the archaeological findings point to a completely different story. This paper addresses the relationship between the two cities through the architectural archaeological evidence. Although only few excavations were carried out in Lod to date, they reveal various aspects of the history of the city throughout the ages. During the Byzantine period, Lod was an important district city and a major religious center. The remains from the Umayyad period indicate that Lod remained a large and spacious city. There is no evidence of a settlement crisis during this period. In the many excavations undertaken in neighboring Ramla, very few yielded remains from the Umayyad period. In the mid-eighth century CE, an earthquake shook the region, after which Ramla was rebuilt, and recovery and reconstruction are also evident in Lod. During the eleventh century CE, Ramla began to decline, marking the city’s last days as the district capital. Excavations in Lod did not expose any pottery dated to the eleventh century CE and therefore, it seems that Lod was deserted for a period of almost 100 years until the Crusader conquest.
Recommended Citation
Torgë, Hagit
(1905)
"هل فعلاً أدّى تأسيس الرملة إلى دمار اللد؟ قصة المدينتين من خلال المكتشف الأثري / Did the Foundation of Ramla Mark the Downfall of Lod? The Tale of the Two Cities in the Archaeological Records,"
Cornerstone: Journal of Archaeological Sites (حجر الزاوية): Vol. 9, Article 10.
Available at:
https://publications.iaa.org.il/cornerstone/vol9/iss1/10
