ˌʌndɚ ðə hˈɑːɹʃ ˈæbeɪsˌɪd dˌɑːmᵻnˈeɪʃən, bᵻtwˌiːn ðɪ ˈeɪtθ ænd nˈaɪnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹiz, ðə sˈaɪt wʌz tˈoʊɾəli ɐbˈændənd, ˈoʊnli təbi ɹᵻpˈɑːpjʊlˌeɪɾᵻd ˌʌndɚ ðə kɹuːsˈeɪdɚz bᵻtwˌiːn ðə tˈɛnθ ænd θˈɜːtiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹiz wˌɛɹ ɪnhˈæbɪtənts nˈʌmbɚd θɹˈiː θˈaʊzənd fˈaɪvhˈʌndɹɪd.
Under the harsh Abbasid domination, between the 8th and 9th centuries, the site was totally abandoned, only to be repopulated under the Crusaders between the 10th and 13th centuries where inhabitants numbered 3500.