Aesthetics and Development of Architectural Openings in the Old

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 1, (2020), pp. 619 - 636

Aesthetics and Development of Architectural Openings in the Old Town of Hebron (A Documentary Study( Wisam Shaded Applied Science University-Amman Jordan [email protected]

Abstract Throughout many historical periods, the architectural styles of the city of Hebron continued to develop and intermix, leading to a variety of styles and unique typological setting. Despite all these periods, certain typologies have been more dominant over others; The Historical aspect that deals with the city’s history and inception, focusing on the most important historical periods that influenced the city starting from the Ayyubid periods to modern times; as these periods had the largest influence on the city’s architecture and structure of its neighborhoods. Second, it deals with patterns and forms of the openings as a result of a field study that documents these openings design and typology. It also deals with the aesthetics of the openings including decorations and inscriptions of doors windows and balconies (Andalones). The study considers examples documented by experts in a variety of Palestinian cities in a comparative analysis with those in Hebron. Finally, it focuses on construction materials and common patterns in buildings while comparing them with each other. In conclusion, the study draws into attention the aesthetics of architectural openings and their patterns and components. The study focuses on the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of the city and its cultural identity, both important for the future of the city and its inhabitants.

Keywords:Architectural openings, Hebron city, Architectural patterns for openings, architectural heritage, ancient architecture. 1. Introduction:

Studying the architectural openings in the Old City of Hebron can seem unfair to nearby cities such as Jerusalem and Bethlehem, as well as Nablus and the Old City of Ramallah that compare very similarly to it. The city of Hebron however, is unique; being named (habarun) Hebronafter prophet Abraham. It also earned itself a second name: “Al-Khalil”. It is the city where Abraham lived and was buried with his wives and sons Isaac and Jacob, it is also the city where the Prophet Moses and Joseph were buried. (Hanbali, Mujeer Uddin,1999, p.139). the city dates to the Canaanites who founded the city in the third century BC. The city was conquered as the rest of the Palestinian cities by many invaders; such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines until the Arab Muslims conquered it in the 7th century. However, the Crusaders occupied the city in 1167 and built a church above the Ibrahimi Mosque and occupied the city until it was liberated by the leader Salih al-Din al-Ayyubi in 1187. The defeat of the Crusaders in the battle of Hattin, marked a new era of prosperity and development for the city as an Islamic landmark, where it continued to flourish under the Mamluk and Ottoman rules as well as during the British Mandate, leading us to what

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it is now. It is remarkable how the city retained its population momentum and the great diversity that still enjoys to this day.

Tariq Dawood Ahmad (2009) in an MA thesis submitted to An-Najah University. Analysis of architectural styles of residential buildingsIn Palestine in the Ottoman period (case study of the city of Nablus) Ottoman period where the openings section into three sections explaining the dimensions and specifications of these openings I have benefited from this study from the information that helped to focus the information contained in my study However, his study was generally devoid of details and mostly dealt with the city of Nablus in the explanation and non-models My study deals with the Old City of Hebron in particular. Most of the models presented deal with the specificity of the Old City.

The study carried out by the engineers Atef Rousan and Jawdat Samara, (2009). Where the study dealt with the Islamic dwellings in particular, its architectural elements, including architectural apertures, were important for this study the details and some measurements that helped in the work of an approach to the existing models in the housing of the Old City in Hebron (Atef Rousan and Jawdat Samara, Architectural Details and construction in the old Arab-Islamic dwelling, 2019National Library of Jordan, p.37). 2. The evolution of architectural openings through the ages and patterns:

The dwellings in the Hellenistic period (323-30 BC) were characterized by the existence of art which was intended to introduce light first and give more privacy. It worked to open windows that overlook internal spaces, and the ceiling style was simplified and prevented the opening of windows directly towards the street.The residential buildingswere characterized by rectangular projections and facades built of white stone, and the main openings were concentrated on the south side to face the winter sun. Columns appeared periodically on the main entrances (Al - Moussawi, Hashem Abboud,2011). In the Roman period itsarchitectural openings were an extension to the work on basements and were shaped in semicircular or curved for the purpose of facilitating lighting. The sizes of these openings varied from large openings, which were intended to allowlight inside select places to small openings. In the Romanesque architecture, the openings were tilted in order to receive the largest amount of reflected light into the rooms, as well as the decoration in the entrances.

2.1. Architectural openings in Islamic times:

The jurisprudential provisions determined the architecture of buildings, especially regarding to length of openings and doors to preserve the general rules of decency and privacyof its inhabitants.This started when a resident of Fustat complained to Caliph Omar of a neighbor's invasion of his privacy from a room that neighbor had built. Caliph Omar sent to Amr the Fustat to demolish this room. He soon then learned that this was not the intention of the owner, so he wrote again to Amr to relocate the bed behind the window to prevent this, and that if he could not then the owner keeps his window. This incident was the basis from which the windows system started in the Islamic architecture. When Ibn al qasem was asked if someone could build a window overlooking his neighbors’ room, he replied that he would not allow a person to do

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anything that would harm a neighbor even if he was in his own property. (Othman, Abdul Sattar, 1988). However, Arab and Islamic designs, which are an integral part of architecture, are credited with the intellectual, cultural and spiritual expansionof Islamic arts. Some of the vivid examples of this development are the Andalusian architecture as well as architecture in the Mamluk and Ottoman period, which affected the Palestinian cities and the city of Hebron in particular. The stone is decorated with floral and geometric shapes on the windows. It contains colored stones. Decorations are also decorated on windows that often have different types of surfaces, such as that of straw. Colored pottery can also be referred to as a decorative element on the windows. The doors are also pirating, one of the most prominent characteristics of Islamic architecture, and these pirates included doors, windows, niches, ceilings, walls and other publications (Journal of the Gulf Center, 21/08/2014) Figure (1) as well as aesthetic appearance decorated by buildings as the art of Mashrabiyat, which is a heritage and aesthetic image of high value has appeared either perforated or ornate and was called by several names according to their shape and size. Designed mainly of wood; the mashrabiyya saw a significant decline and was replaced by iron as an external form and performs the same goal. The main objective was to lighten the light and enable women to see the outside without being seen, which is one of the most important advantages of windows in the Mamluk and Ottoman architecture.

Figure 1. Model of Pirates in the Building of the Old City in Hebron, the Author dates this to the Mamluk period. 3. Decorative elements in architectural openings

3.1. Preface:

The history of ornaments and ornaments in architectural openings is linked to the history of architecture and its development. The builders move from place to place,

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bringing with them the models they have worked in their areas, and the political and economic environment has a major impact on the emergence of this diversity.

We do not deny the importance of religious aspect and its impact on the housing architecture and architectural openings, and the most important stages affected by the decoration in the architectural openings in chronological order we start with the period of ancient Egyptian civilization, which saw a variety of patterns of plant, animal and dummy decorations appeared phenomenon in the decoration of the columns and some details that Found in some architectural openings, and then as the Greek, Roman and Hellenistic period classics, some architectural openings

The classical ornaments through the pillars, which appeared on the façades and on the architectural openings, and then enter the Islamic school, which was followed by artistic influences, the most important of which are: The Umayyad period was evident in the construction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The influence of decoration in Al-Aqsa Mosque appeared in many dwellings and architectural openings, and then the Abbasid period, although there are no existing dwellings at the present time and all that is present remains of the foundations here and there and in this period witnessed the emergence of a variety of arches of half cylindrical and pointed unitary and lobular. The shapes were found in some architectural openings in the city of Hebron. (Marcy, George, 1968) Ayyubid era dominated their buildings as austerity as the period of their rule witnessed battles, wars and Islamic conquests, the most important of which was the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Saleh al- Din Ayyubid and the period of the end of the rule of the Fatimid state. the consolidation of the pillars of their state to build mosques and schools. the city of Hebron had a special place during the rule of the Ayyubid state it has witnessed great reforms of the most important features of decoration is known as banks or symbols and slogans that were above the entrances and architectural openings, and the entrances were characterized by high and the presence of the muqarnas contract or (Haddad, Hiba.2015) and used stone as a main building material and still see the impact of the Ayyubid period on the housing of the old town, the Mamluk era is considered the golden age of the city where it witnessed a clear and constructive stability, and the architecture in this period relied on carved stones and the rotation of red and yellow colors It may appear in the facade all or in some parts and new forms of arches and the development of the use of domes with necks and varied in terms of the transition from the dome, which was a corner or muqarnas to or spherical triangles Figure No. (1) Mashrabiyya appeared at this stage (former source Haddad, Heba.2015) In the Ottoman period, the so-called Ottoman arch appeared,aconcave arch towards the outside in its upper and lower part convex. The semi-circular conical arch was used in the openings of windows and doors, i.e., its opening was part of a circle and the use of muqarnas remained common. In the crowns and gates contracts and a transitional element in the domes until the middle of the Ottoman period as already mentioned, has been used Qashani tiles with plant decorative themes as a key element in the cladding of the interior walls and some parts of the facades above the doors and windows were predominantly blue and green also appeared plaster windows and commonly used ablaq. 3.2. Architectural Conquests:

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Architectural openings consist of four sections: doors, windows, balconies, lunar areas, and thy may vary in shape depending on the general design of the residential building or according to the historical era in which the building was built. We may find in the same building more than one type and more of the style and this is due to several reasons, including the different historical periods may be the basis of the building Mamluk ducks rice and building, and then add other floors to the era of Ottoman, then followed by the era of the English Mandate era, a clear change called for the expansion of the population and the natural growth of the inhabitants of housing and this development and change included the shape and building materials and this is contained in some of the old buildings inherited by their families from generation to generation, also appeared some buildings, which contain stones dating back to ancient times may have been transferred from the destroyed buildings and a feast of use In rebuilding it may be difficult to Determination of the real age of some dwellings as a result of these reasons and as the stones differed in their colors and the way of cutting has been affected in the design of the openings in terms of exterior and construction method and this is evident from the building and another in the same neighborhood, however, some features have been refined significantly in some of these openings, which gave the impression of a certain pattern in the construction of these openings.

3.2.1. Doors:

The door or entrance defined by blocking a hole of wood and the like and also the opening in any part of the building, which is attached to one or two or more, and these shutters (darfa) may be a simple modest naive ordinary wood without decorations or Inlaid wood, inlaid with shells, etc., The single door (shutter) consists of many pieces Fragmented, engraved, inlaid or printed with various precious materials. The door in its wooden structure consists of a throat or a box attached to the wall, a hidden throat or a hidden brow that conceals the lines of adhesion between it and the wall. In the wall, a concealed shaft or concealed shade conceals the lines of attachment between it and the wall and several shutters (shelf) are increased and decreased according to the entranceway (Rizak, Asim Mohammed, 2000, p. 21) Doors are divided into two external doors and interior doors.

as the plural formأبواب( )بوابات, the gate) singular and)بوابة() External gate: Called that indicates for gates or doors, and dates back to ancient times when the ancient Arab cities, like other cities in the Middle Ages fortified its walls high to repel attacks by raiders. These fortified wallshad huge gates built into them dependingon the demands of architects (Rizk, Asim Mohammed, p.27).On the other hand, dwellings had two kinds of doors; the main entrance dwellings which lead outside and the doorsleading to the courtyard of the house.These gates vary in design and luxury according to the size of courtyardsandaccording to the economic status of the house owners(Hamdan, Omar, 1996, p.321). These gates have taken many forms, including arched gates, which are common in the dwellings of the Old City, and werebuilt from many materials; including marble, stone, flint and limestone.Their sizes also varied, some were single-doors while others had double doors. The doors may be hidden inward from atthe level of the facade and are covered by Meletian from the sides. The gateswere decorated on top or on the sides. Some gateshad small openings called a bokeh, which allows the passage of humans, while the full gate would open for the passage of carriages and animals. These

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gates had iron clad on both ends, used as an aesthetic element in Palestine dwellings in the Ottoman period(Hamdan, Omar,1996, p.326).

Exterior doors: The practice of housing construction in the Mamluk and Ottoman period was only one entrance except in the case of large and multi-decade houses or rooms. (Hamdan, Omar, 1996, p.53), we classify the doors in terms:

3.2.2. Doors in terms of construction methods and parts:

Rectangular or wooden square or double the interior doors are usually surfaces sometimes may be these fillings by were divided clicking and tongue(2a) and (2b). Also found nailed doors consisting of wooden slats set with compasses and mortise made of wood trunks doors and wooden gates focus attention to wooden doors in architectural openings as a key element in the composition of doors, which focused on different types, including doors that contain fillings Which consisted of different parts as well as Smara doors and wooden doors inlaid with metals such as iron and copper No. (2C) A large proportion of wooden doors have been damaged due to weather and misuse as well as external factors such as fires Natural disasters such as earthquakes, so a few of them are still standing and the rest turned to metal doors after the restoration of housing Figure (2d) As for the components of the doors from the outside, it has its own method of construction. Certified and may vary depending on the shape of the doors and their size and location and are called pieces of stones that are used in the process of building doors with special names of the most important of these parts we start threshold

Which consists of a transverse stone placed under the doors and may consist of one or several pieces called the upper face of the pedal and usually measure 20 cm. The main objective is to prevent water from entering the house. Different models have been found to increase or decrease by design Second, the race is one of the side pieces of the doors as well as the windows of the same name. Third, the alkalb is a piece that follows the race where the order comes one after the other and be measured alkalb Shorter than the sweat, then swaddling which is the roof of the door or curling and have a higher opening of the door or window is also called Also in the chachia and be displayed with the width of the door, and in the case of arches for the door they are installed in a sorting and solution or tension and solution They are sometimes decorated with either stone-carved motifs, or embossed motifs, or discoloration of ablaq pieces (Hamdan, Omar, 1996)As is shown in Figure.3 and Figure.4, either accessories and additions that locks the shutter with the door shaved and these joints are usually of metal and are called Valsat or staples and there are forms of them called Baljheodat also found some forms of rings used in the ways of the doors.

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(b) Wooden doors Old City Hebron Source (a) The entrance of a Researcher Old Hebron door with wooden (d) wooden doors (c) Door repaired fillings and the of the Old City of and remanufactured design of the circular Hebron with metal town arch represents the location of Hebrons old town.

Figure 2. Wooden Doors of the Old City of Hebron (Source: Author 2019)

Figure 3. Two examples of the form of stone division in the doors are taken from models from the Old City of Hebron, (Source: Author 2019)

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Figure 4. Door with menus and hinges Detail Door Giraffes Hands Jewelry Hinges Old City Hebron.(Source: Author2019)

3.2.3. Doors In Terms of Movement and Use:

Doors are divided into doors with menus and hinges where the door is opened inward and can be one or two or more and may be in many different forms, or zipper doors and also called a door (kiosk), which is a door that pulls or draws or attracts Two opposite directions so that it can be used from both directions for each inside and for each outside through it. This pattern was not common in the doors of the old houses in Hebron. Other types of old doors have been found that no longer use or rather change the priority of their use in old dwellings, including: the wind door in the wall to receive the breeze (Figure.5), and the door of the door used in a hidden place of the walls behind the wardrobe. Or the mattresses or supplies in residential buildings such as palaces and housing, including what is reached by a narrow corridor This type was common in the Mamluk era to be able to survive in the event of danger (Rizk, Asim Mohammed, 2000).

(a) arched door and lobed from the top Dar Shahin Old City Hebron.

(b)straight door from the top Old City Hebron.

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(c) door ornament decorated with copper pieces Dar (d) Wind Shahin Old City Gate of the Hebron. Old City of Hebron Restored model source researcher

Figure 5. Doors in Terms of Movement and Use (Source: Author)

The doors are divided into doors with menus and hinges where the door is opened inward and can be one or two or more and may be in many different forms, or zipper doors and also called a door (kiosk), which is a door that pulls or drags or attracts in This pattern was not common in the doors of the old houses in Hebron. Other types of old doors have been found that no longer use or rather change the priority of their use in old dwellings, including: the wind door in the wall to receive the breeze (Figure.5), and the door of the secret used in a hidden place of the walls behind the wardrobes or brushes Or supplies in residential buildings such as palaces and housing, including what is reached by a narrow corridor has been common in the Mamluk era to be able to survive in the event of danger(Rizak, Asim Mohammed, 2000, p.27)

3.2.4. The most important designs found in the gates of the Old City:

As mentioned above, the diversity of door designs came for several reasons

1- a door with a circular arch arched mentioned above may be shutter wood or metal and the arch above the door is formed Glass lunar models have found circular arches covered with stone or iron (Figure.6. a). 2–segmental arch door wooden or non-wooden the wooden one of the door fillings generally accepted in many housing forms may vary in terms of size and arrangement (Figure.6. b). 3 - doors with different curves and forms the house may be surmounted by a glass or metal cabin. Many forms with decorations and columns have spotted several them in very diverse forms 4-doors straight from the top of the box and may cover the clamping door block rectangular stone consisting of one piece or More may be found in the form of a joint stone with each other (Figure.6.c) has come ornaments including geometric ororiental decoration and I will come to mention this decoration later. 5- Doors with multi-diagonal designs and circles resemble the Gothic style as in the model House located in the street (Shalala) in the city of Hebron (Figure.6) It is noted

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that the shape of the column resembles the Corinthian column with metal decorations and glass divisions. 6 - doors of the horse's shoe from the top and the shutter may consist of wooden or metal fillings (Figure.14) and thisshape is abundant in some lanes.

(a) Circular Arch Door (b) Segmental Arch Wooden Door

(d) Doors with Nostalgic (e) Model of Door European (f) Doors of the Horse's Style Shoe Figure 6. Doors in terms of Shapes (Source: Author)

3.2.5. Windows:

The word (nafadhah)or window refers to the energy that penetrates the wall from side to side for the purpose of ventilation and lighting of any form has been known types of windows, including rectangular, square, round, oval and so on. Usually rectangular windows were simple thresholds free of decorations sometimes or with thresholds Studies show that housing in ancient times did not have windows placed on the upper part of the walls to prevent people, animals and wind from entering.

The large windows were certainly closed by various means such as wooden panels and doors. The windows in Islamic architecture started modestly simple and then evolved. In the Fatimid wooden era, the openings and windows were organized, with bent or knotted inputs, including muqarnas and ornate. The twin or pool more than that, was estimated to be three or four times the width and was usually placed in two rows, one rectangular bottom and the other top circular or oval, and a staircase called windows The word window is the collection of windows is a window mesh with wood,

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iron or perforated plaster Or colored or other materials that were engraved or engraved in the forms of vegetal, geometric and clerical and called sunsets or lunar proportion of the concealment of sunlight entering the day, and the moon window is the window nets covered with veils of stucco or stone or veils of stone or veils of wood cone . (Rizk, Assem Mohammed, 2000, p.27) As well as putting glass types on these windows have been found windows in several forms and types of nets wood lathe and iron nets and copper nets, as well as nets top, bottom nets also found types of windows according to their movement, including: Tractor nets of traction or attraction comes to indicate the shutter A door or window does not open inside or outside, but draws on a special course (rail) window overlooking or overlooking the meaning of Ashraf indicates the top window overlooking the courtyard or the hallway or the road. Doors, windows or cabinets Applies, or folds Windows take rectangular shape by 2: 1 in GAA the window openings come with a certain repetition, which is a single, double or triple shape. (The role of the architect). The Mashrabiyat are mostly wooden or stone stonework, which is carried on cables and conscious for the purpose of privacy. (Contemporary Palestinian architecture) As the entry of the pattern of mashrabiya in the housing is one of the most important patterns in Islamic-style dwellings, it was a case according to overcome the problems of ventilation and outdoors and lighten the light and blocking sunlight, and was mainly made of fine wood in the form of cones (Round) section, It distributes light and shadow. (Akasha. Tharwat. (1994) Many of the houses where the wooden mashrabiyya are located are not left as a result of the damage that took place in them.

1- Segmental arch Window with motor bracket from the top It has been mentioned before that the window may be double or in three segments (Figure.7. b) 2- Semicircle window with a circular arch and may be more than one window beside each window may be surmounted by a glass (Figure.7.a) and these types of windows are made of wood and consists of one or two fixed and two moving, depending on the size of the window. 3- A straight window that the outer form is a square or rectangle and may consist of fixed parts and moving parts and was mostly made of wood, while the construction is made of stone by the way of construction (Figure.7. d). 4- Bulbous arch Window This window type is rare, and I did not find many examples in the Old City of Hebron other than this model. Persian design where he designed the arch of limestone scattered in the city of Hebron and interspersed with glassFigure 7.c. 5- Window design circular tapered this type of windows and found a few have found some of them in housing and public places; Example Figure.7. f The figure shows a double window with iron works used for protection dating back to the late Ottoman period. 6- Moroccanstyle window a distinctive model I have not seen where it consists of two columns and the form of Corinthian and above form three circles with an arch carrying with distinctive iron works and glass for windows and shows from the form of construction that it dates toThe British Mandate in Palestine. (Figure.7. e).

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(a) a Semicircle Window. (b) Segmental Arch Window (twins or three).

(d)

(c) Bulbous arch Window: This type of windows is rare and we did not find many examples in the Straight Window: A common type of window Old City of Hebron other than this House located openings in Hebron. in Tel Ramdiya area of Hebron city.

- (f) Window with a circular tapered design, (e)Model of the window in the form Moroccan this type of windows were found a few have style found some of them in housing and public places Example Figure (19)source research 2019

Figure 7. Windows of the Old City (Source: Author 2019)

3.2.6. Lunars means in the intermediate lexicon a small window which is )القمرية ) (The (lunar openings and the lunar window is a window covered with veils of openwork plaster for openings found in the facade of old buildings above the doors and windows and covered with different types of materials such as wood and stained glass (Haddad, Heba) was It is intended to bring light and ventilate the place and is a means of reducing the load in

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the facades of buildings, stone or with cones of wood(Rizk, Assem Mohammed,2000, p.27),some countries in the Islamic world have known many types of openings, including the Yemeni roundabouts, where the right architecture was created by the purpose of bringing lighting to the dwellings, especially since the windows in the foot were made of wood where it was considered a means of introducing natural lighting and ventilation, in addition to the aesthetic aspect that accompanies the existence of lunar In the architectural façades, the presence of lunar moons was accompanied by the presence of double lunar moons and stained glass was used to insert lighting into some of them.(AlSnawy,Abed Mahmoud, 2013). The writer Nidal Jibril Yacoub writes Badr from memory and some references and interviews with the elderly. Some rooms had an upper window close to the ceiling of the small room 70 * 70. They allowed the entrance of light and have a wooden frame that surrounds a glass panel. We call it Andlon, a profession of Arab carpenter Abu Munshar and other families. These openings varied in their forms as they varied in their measurements came in the following forms: The circular or semi-circular shape may be above these lobes above the door and may be separate This type of lunar A may appear on the doors and windows and may be covered by a metal or glass depending on their size(Figure.8). The square shape of the rolling forms, including several sizes and small ones are located above the doors and windows and there may be more than a hole in the architectural facade, where the aim is to introduce light and ventilation without revealing the components of the house from the inside (Figure.9). The rectangular shape found in many models of which covered with metal or wooden mesh or glass Shapes of small lunar shapes of various sizes and shapes, including polygonal or eight-pointed stars, emerged.

Figure 8. a Semi-Circular Lunar opening and a small circle in the same architectural aperture covered with iron grids for the protection ofdwellings. (Source: Author 2019)

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Figure 9. Small lunar models with a variety of designs.(Source: Author 2019)

3.2.7. Balconies:

Balconies consist of burrs that are usually located in the facades, which are overlooking the street or the courtyard of the house. Usually these projections are carried on metal coils inside the wall cantilever installed under the balconies or alsharafat (Figrue.10) and in the current situation consists of painted iron in the past, they were made of wood. they were known in the past as the seat. It was specialized for the seating of male visitors in the summer, where she was often furnished with stone tiles covered with wooden beams ceiling where found stone seats in the courtyard of the dwellings was mentioned by the (Mamluk)definitions as a prominent seat on the bay carried on the shoulders built of stone and timber, and these seats varied One of the stone seats that have bases of stone and wooden seats, the so-called balcony.

Figure 10. An Outward Balcony.

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3.3. Decorative elements in architectural openings:

The history of decorations and ornaments in architectural openings is linked to the history of architecture and its development. Different types of ornaments manifested in the inscriptions and details of the stone constructions and colours. These varied between geometric and plant motifs and human and animal shapes. These had special features inspired by Egyptian civilizations and classic examples from the Greeks and the Romans; giving the Islamic school a unique style; developing the art of rqash, also known as Arabesque and muqarnas in Islamic architecture, an element based on the art of raqsh and its philosophical implications. Ornaments and decorations can be classified as:

1) Stone ornaments and decorations: one of the most prominent features in the stone ornaments and decorations is the Ablaq. It was used in decorating the façades and architectural openings and is considered one of the most important features of early Mamluk and Ottoman houses. These were inspired by plant design, using flowers and leaves as sources of inspiration, creating movement and morphing the shapes in decorative formations, which are repeated. These usually correspond or are sometimes paired (Sharkawy, Dalia Ahmed Fouad 2000). Models for different types of stone carved plant decorations are shown in (Figure.11). Some ornaments used faience in the facades and decoration of architectural openings. Faience came in different forms, showing in decorative dishes, with mostly floral and geometric decorations and colours ranging from green to blue, blue being the most common (11b), prominent stone plant decoration (11c) and the emergence of decoration in the form of a hemisphere and many forms (11d) as well as columns as a type of decoration with varied forms of Corinthian and ionic and other forms as seen in (Figure.11). Inscriptions are also as important, which decorated the top of some openings (Figure.11 e).

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(f)

(e) Inscriptions Used as Windows decoratedwith (d) Circular Stone Decoration. Decoration. columns.

Figure 11. Different Decorative Styles

2) Glass ornaments and decorations: Hebron city is famous for its glass industry since ancient times. One of its old neighbourhood is called the Kazazin, which translates to the Neighbourhood of glass works, it has been mentioned by the owner of Alans in his book. I met with one of the grandsons of this craft, Abu Wahid Jacob Natsheh who has been working in glass for 51 years. He inherited this profession from His ancestors. He reported that there were more than 18 glass factories in the city of Hebron, and examples models of glass work in the Old City. However, many of these were destroyed dye to several causes, and were replaced by stained glass which we can see these days as in (Figure.12.b).

(a) Model (b) Examples Mimicing the of Colour Mashrabiya in glass used in a Balcony Windows. Made of Metal

SpiralsInstalled by the cutlets Figure 12. Balcony and Window Works.

3) Wooden/Metal ornaments and decorations: Wooden decorations were common in Mashrabiyat. The use of Mashrabiyat was a defining characteristic of the Islamic and Mashrabi architectural style. A Mashrabiya is a closed balcony in an artistic way, overlooking its surroundings. These balconies are prominent stemming from the wall of the house or building. Alawiya (Waziri, Yahya, 1999). The main objective of these was to block the interior from the outside and give room for light without enabling people to see the house and its owners from the outside. Most of

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the wood mashrabiyat are now a rare sight in architectural facades. Without the descriptions from several sources, including what the writer Omar Hamdan in his book of popular architecture, where he describes examples of it, some would believe the did not exist. The lack of original models in the housing is likely due to several reasons, including fires and damage due to natural causes. An example of wooden works interspersed with stained glass is shown in (Figure.12. a), as well as some older Mashrabiya design was carried out with iron. It has a stretch made of metal spiral that is installed by the cutlets of wood in a similar design of Mashrabiya This model is very common in the Old City of Hebron as stated by several old women that mentioned they were using these openings for several purposes, including the storage of some pots and water, they also used it to watch the street. The similarity is evident between them and the wooden Mashrabiyatin design, however, wood was replaced with iron in some instances. Many examples of good work have been found in these architectural openings. 4) Wooden windows: Windows at the beginning of the establishment of the old town were initially made from wood and glass, but they slowly began to be replaced bit by bit by metal windows in the beginning of the last century. They then began to turn gradually to modern windows. Some old wooden models dating back to the Ottoman period are also spotted around the old city. The examples of these are few as the restoration of old houses necessitated the removal of damaged parts and replaced them with a more sustainable material. The old wood, which was made of different types of timber, as seen in Dar Shahin, which is in the Qazzazin neighbourhood in Hebron, is characterized by wooden works worth mentioning the form of parchment (Figure.13). They were characterized by different forms including fillings and distinctive cones as well as decorative and engraved fillings. They were made with red pine wood, as well as some woodwork as seen in the windows of the Palestine Hotel, located in the Old City, where it is characterized by fillings and made of oak wood and other Old woodwork.

Figure 13. Dar Shaheen located in the Qazzazin lane in the Old City of Hebron, where it is characterized by wooden works worth mentioning the source research 2019

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4. Conclusion:

The old city of Hebron may not be the first city built in the world, but there is no doubt that it is one of the distinctive cities that have maintained the momentum of life since the era of Abraham, peace be upon him. It is a city fighting time; trying to live the present and embrace its children in the spirit of the past. In this study we highlight the architectural openings in the city and focus on their aesthetic values. The city deserves more studies and documentation to ensures the preservation of its distinctive character and prevent manipulation of the foundations that built it as an Islamic city. We hope that such studies shed light on the artistic and architectural possibilities that exist in the residences and other establishments and highlight the architectural openings and their aesthetic components.

We see this as part of our duty towards the city and its inhabitants. The city witnessed many examples of architecture that have been well preserved, as well as others that have been destroyed; especially old wooden doors, mashrabiyat, wooden windows, lunar and sun umbrellas. This damage was possibly caused by natural factors such as rain and sun, natural disasters such as earthquakes, deliberate human factors such as dislocation and replacement or unintentional factors such as fire causing them to be replaced by modern materials. The choice of some of these materials was to give more strength to the housing; using iron doors and windows and covering the lunar as well as sunshades. Wood also needs a lot of attention and is one of the reasons that makes it an impractical solution in the restoration of architectural openings. The political situation of the city, due to the occupation of part of it by armed settlers protected by the occupation soldiers, poses a danger to the inhabitants of the Old City and its heritage and it can explain the reason behind the usage of such materials as well.

References:

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International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 1, (2020), pp. 619 - 636

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