The excavation of the Templar Fortress at Jacob’s Ford

This book reports the results of the archaeological excavations of the Templar fortress at Jacob's Ford in the Jordan River (the site is now called Metzad Ateret), in northern Israel. Construction of the fortress began in October 1178 but it was never finished; the army of Saladin laid siege to the fortress and breached its defenses in August of 1179, killing or capturing all the defenders. The archaeological finds represent a very specific, well dated point in time, illustrating a well-documented battle. The archaeological finds are a treasure trove of information about military architecture, battle techniques, soldiers' lifeways, and political and economic relations in the 12th century Levant.