Al-Damun
| Al-Damun | |
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 Al-Damun
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| Arabic | الدامون |
| Also spelled | Damun |
| Subdistrict | Acre |
| Coordinates | 32°52′37″N 35°10′59″E / 32.87694°N 35.18306°ECoordinates: 32°52′37″N 35°10′59″E / 32.87694°N 35.18306°E |
| Palestine grid | 167/254 |
| Population | 1,310 (1945) |
| Area | 20,357 dunams 20.4 km² |
| Date of depopulation | 15–16 July 1948 |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Military assault by Yishuv forces |
Al-Damun (Arabic: الدامون, al-Dâmûn), was a Palestinian Arab village located 11.5 kilometres (7.1 mi) from the city of Acre that was depopulated during 1948 Arab-Israeli war. In 1945, the village had 1,310 inhabitants, most of whom were Muslim and the remainder Christians. Al-Damun bordered the al-Na'amin River (Belus River), which the village's inhabitants used as a source of irrigation and drinking water from installed wells.
Excavations at the site has shown pot sherds dating from the Late Bronze Age, up to and including Early Islamic, Crusader, Mamluk and Ottoman times.
Al-Damun is mentioned in early Arab and Persian sources since the 11th century CE. Local tradition identified the village as containing the tomb of the prophet Dhul-Kifl, who is mentioned in the Qur'an twice. Despite Islamic tradition claiming the tomb to be in al-Kifl near Najaf or Kifl Hares near Nablus, Nasir Khusraw believed it to be al-Damun when he visited the region in 1047. He writes "I reached a small cave, which is in Damun where I performed the ziyarat too, for it is said to be the tomb of Dhul-Kifl, peace be upon him."
Al-Damun was captured by the Crusaders, who referred to it as "Damar" or "Damor" during their invasion of Levant in 1099, and it remained in their hands unlike most of Palestine which was conquered by the Ayyubidss under Sultan Saladin in 1187. In 1253 John Aleman, Lord of Caesarea sold several villages, including al-Damun, to the Knights Hospitaller. It was mentioned as part of the Crusaders' domain in the hudna (truce agreement) between the Acre-based Crusaders and the Mamlukss under Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun in 1283.
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