Umayyad-era trade hub unearthed in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv
Israeli archaeologists excavating ahead of a new bus terminal in Ramat Gan uncovered a sprawling 1,300-year-old industrial and commercial complex dating to the Umayyad/Abbasid era, laid out with straight streets and shops, kilns, and production facilities. Artifacts including bronze tableware, coins, pottery and glass suggest a vibrant trade economy that operated for about 150 years before being abandoned; the site was resettled in the 10th century and abandoned again in the late 11th century, just before the Crusades. The find sits near a main route connecting Jaffa (Jaffa/Joppa), Ramla and Jerusalem and offers insights into the era’s culture and economy as archaeologists say the complex was carefully planned by engineers with regional support.