Hebron

Hebron lies among the hills south of Jerusalem, around a sanctuary revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the burial place of Abraham and his family. The great stone enclosure over the Cave of Machpelah dates to the first century, while the Ibrahimi Mosque and the surrounding quarters preserve the work of later builders. Caravan routes from southern Palestine, Sinai and Arabia met here, and the old town's limestone houses, markets and baths grew around the sacred precinct.

Under the Mamluks, Hebron's neighbourhoods acquired much of their enduring form. Ottoman rule brought further expansion, with upper stories added to houses and new buildings rising around the older centre. Glassmaking was a distinctive local craft, practiced by families whose workshops produced lamps and other wares for markets beyond the city. Pilgrims and travellers continued to visit the sanctuary, while merchants connected the town to the surrounding hills and more distant lands.

In 1834 a revolt against Egyptian conscription and other demands spread through Palestine. Ibrahim Pasha's troops attacked Hebron to suppress the resistance, plundering the town and inflicting violence on its inhabitants. The Jewish community, although it had not taken part in the revolt, suffered severely. The sanctuary and the dense streets around it remained central to Hebron's religious and urban life after the fighting.