Image Details

A Herodian Tower on the northeastern extension. A Muslim funerary plaque now stands above the unfinished boss of a Herodian building block; this block is the northernmost element of a Herodian course along the eastern wall and adjoins (that is, it is bonded to) the northeastern tower. Note that the bottom course of the wall is aligned with the bottom course of the tower, indicating that they were built at the same time. This evidence clearly identifies the protruding tower as originally Herodian. The two higher courses of the eastern wall shown here do not line up with courses on the tower and are later. Author Ritmeyer dates these higher courses to the Islamic period.