Editing Ramallah (section)

===Early history===
Ramallah was founded in the 16th century by the ''Hadadeens'', an [[Arab Christians|Arab Christian]] clan. The city boasts archaeological remnants from earlier epochs.<ref name=":0" /> [[Rock-cut tombs in ancient Israel|Ancient rock-cut tombs]] have been found near Ramallah.<ref>{{harvnb|Conder|Kitchener|1883|p=155}}</ref> Located just south of the built-up area is [[Tell en-Nasbeh]], an [[Archaeological site|archeological site]] where biblical [[Mizpah in Benjamin]] is likely to have been located.<ref name=":0" />

Several Ramallah buildings [[Spolia|incorporate masonry]] dating back to the reign of [[Herod the Great]] (37–4 BCE).<ref name=":0" /> [[Potsherd]]s from the [[Crusader states|Crusader]]/[[Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid]] and early Ottoman period have also been found there.<ref name="Finkelstein">{{harvnb|Finkelstein|Lederman|1997|p=353}}</ref> Ramallah has been identified with the [[Crusader states|Crusader]] place called ''Ramalie''.<ref>{{harvnb|Rey|1883|p=389}}</ref><ref>Prawer and Benvenisti, 1970, cited in Finkelstein and Lederman, 1997, p. 353</ref> Remains of a building with an [[arch]]ed doorway from the Crusader era, called ''al-Burj'', have been identified,<ref>{{harvnb|Pringle|1997|p=90}}</ref> but the original use of the building is undetermined.<ref>{{harvnb|Pringle|1997|p=12}}</ref>