Ancient Arabic inscription found during Jerusalem home renovations

Ancient Arabic inscription found in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM — Israeli archaeologists say a 1,100-year-old Arabic inscription has been found during renovations at a home in Jerusalem.

The small fragment of a marble plaque dates to the 10th century, when Jerusalem was ruled from Baghdad by the Abbassid Empire.

It is thought to have been made by an army veteran to express his thanks for a land grant from the Caliph al-Muqtadir, who the inscription calls “Commander of the Faithful.”

Archaeologists say it shows how rulers rewarded their troops.

The plaque was found about 5 feet (1.5 meters) beneath the floor of a house in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter by archaeologists carrying out a salvage dig ahead of a renovation.