Bab al-Burj and Burj al-Juss

Bab al-Burj and Burj al-Juss

The North Gate, Bab al-Burj, continued to be used even after the desertion, first, as an access to the communal facilities which outlived the dwellings in their function, and, more recently, as an access to the zarah or as a short-cut to the Friday mosque. East of this entrance, projecting beyond the wall, stands the slightly tapering tall square tower, Burj al-Juss. The top two floors of this originally six-tiered structure have almost disappeared. The entrance archway reaches a height equal to the first tier of the Burj. Two small slits (kuwwa) on the projected floor above allowed boiling water or other deterrents to be thrown at the attackers. The tall entrance space with its flanking walls, adorned with raised seating and sculpted niches, terminates with a large pointed-arch on the southern edge, from where the main settlement route begins. On its western wall, a tall arched opening leads into the only covered route of the settlement that runs behind the northern settlement wall; its covered nature is the result of a series of overhead interventions. Access to the upper floor is from the lane behind the gateway.