Jericho: Hisham's Palace Complex Map and Sign
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Authors
Issue Date
5/26/23
Type
Image
Language
Keywords
Khirbet el-Mafjar , Qa_r Hish_m , Hisham's Palace , Jericho , West Bank , Desert Castle , Umayyad Dynasty , Islamic Monument , Palestine , Medieval Arabic Architecture
Alternative Title
Abstract
Description
A map and sign at Hisham's Palace. The sign reads: The spectacular palace and estate of Hisham's Palace at Khirbet al-Mafjar represents a flowering of early Islamic art and architecture. It was probably built by the Umayyad Caliph Hisham ibn "abd al-Malik in the eighth century, perhaps continued by his nephew Walid II. This was a winter palace for leisure, hunting and entertaining. Similar Umayyad palaces are found in the Syrian Desert margins, including Qasr al-Mshatta and Qusayr Amra. Khirbet al-Mafjar includes a palace, audience hall, and bath, a pavillion, and mosque, all surrounded by a perimeter wall. The Northern area was probably an agricultural estate of "diya". The palace and other buildings were damaged by an earthquake in 749 AD, although many structures survived this major event. The site no longer served as a residence for the Caliphs, but people continued to live here in the Abbasid and Ayyubid periods until around 1250 AD.