The Frankish Castle of Dor

Abstract

The Castle of Dor occupied a strategically important location on the Carmel Coast in Israel. This little-known castle has been identified by modern scholarship with Crusader Merle. A new excavation, conducted in 2018, produced finds which shed light on the architecture and time of use of the castle. The excavation revealed an elaborate building, constructed in two building phases at the very least. The new finds, together with the historical accounts, indicate that the use of the excavated building may be dated to the 12th and 13th centuries. Comparing the historical sources with the results of the excavation, it is suggested that this building belonged to the Templar occupation of the site. It thus provides new information regarding the history of the Templars, as well as that of the medieval Carmel coast micro-region more broadly.