The Frankish Dwelling – between East and West
Adrian Boaz, University of Haifa
In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE European residents settled in the cities and villages of the Frankish states in Syria, the Land of Israel and Cyprus. The Franks proved themselves to be a society capable of adapting itself to the new surroundings and learning from the local cultures. This should also be true regarding the construction of their houses; however, along with this they also brought with them from the West knowledge about the planning of houses and construction methods. As a result of this among the Frankish houses that were discovered in archaeological excavations and surveys in Akko, Caesarea, Arsuf, and Yoqne’am, and in other urban and rural settlements, it is possible to find different kinds of buildings. There are those whose plans are a continuation of the Byzantine and Muslim traditions; whereas others resemble the houses indigenous to the Frankish settlers’ countries of origin. Alongside these there are many houses which combine building styles, methods and characteristics of east and west together.
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