Jerusalem
Arabic inscription found under Tower of David
The discovery rewrites the ancient citadel's past
Jerusalem24 – The Times of Israel reported the discovery of an old Arabic inscription written on the stones of the Tower of David. The inscription belonged to one of the Ayyubid rulers of Jerusalem, El-Melek El-Muatem Isa.
The discovery has changed the time line set by the archaeologist’s working at the site of the tower. The inscription which was dated to the 13th century CE has changed when a portion of the Old City citadel’s outer walls were constructed.
Jerusalem was conquered by the Crusaders in 1099 and retaken by a Muslim dynasty, the Ayyubids, in 1187. By 1212, the city was ruled by the nephew of Saladin, El-Melek El-Muatem Isa, also commonly known in English as Al-Mu’azzam Isa.