Cafarlet or Capharleth ( Crusader name) or Kafr Lam (

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

name) is an Early Muslim coastal

fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...

of the Roman castrum type. Today it is located inside Moshav HaBonim,

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, on lands of the now abandoned

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

village of Kafr Lam. It was built in the 8th or 9th century, during the

Umayyad The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a membe ...

Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...

period to serve as a ribat against

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

attacks, and was significantly modified and reused by the Crusaders. It is one of the few surviving ancient fortifications in Israel featuring round watchtowers, indicating the fortress' origins predate the crusader era. Most surviving ancient fortifications in the region feature rectangular watchtowers, typical of the style prevalent in Europe during the time of the crusaders.

History

External links

Gemsinisrael.com
Archaeological sites in Israel Islamic architecture in Asia Crusader castles Castles and fortifications of the Knights Hospitaller Castles of the Teutonic Knights Castles in Israel {{Israel-stub Castles and fortifications of the Knights Templar Medieval sites in Israel

History

See also

External links