ISRAEL
November/December 2020
ISRAEL: Researchers have finally determined the location of the Battle of Arsuf, a key engagement in the Third Crusade (1189–1192). Relying on historical documents, environmental analysis, and material evidence, archaeologists pinpointed the spot on the Sharon Plain, north of modern-day Tel Aviv, where Christian troops led by Richard the Lionheart defeated the Muslim army of the sultan Saladin. Although the European forces won the battle that day, they ultimately failed to recapture Jerusalem, and returned home in 1192.