Dayr Nakhkhas
Encyclopedia
Dayr Nakhkhas was a Palestinian
Arab
village located 20 km northwest of Hebron
, overlooking Wadi
Bayt Jibrin
to the north.
about two miles east of Bayt Jibrin. Perched on a hill, an open corn valley lay below the village. Located in an area rich in archaeological sites, in the land area that belonged to the village, there were some 15 sites, including the village itself (which was built on an earlier ancient site).
, it is recorded that Dayr Nakhkhas was part of nahiya (subdistrict) of Halil [i.e. al-Khalil, or Hebron
], under the liwa'
(district) of Jerusalem, with a population of 72. The inhabitants paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat
, barley
, olives, as well as on goat
s and beehive
s.
In The Survey of Western Palestine (1838), the name of the village is transcribed, "Deir Nakhkhâs", and translated as, "the monastery of the cattle drover." In 1881, it is described as; "A very small village perched on a high, steep hill, looking down on the valley to the north. "This is possibly Ir-Nahash (i Chronicles iv. 12)."
It is also said to contain, "A ruined birkeh and a cave with 250 niches."
The village was rectangular in layout, with houses built of stone, expanding along and towards the road linking it to Hebron
. The villagers were Muslim
, and the children attended schools in the neighbouring villages.
By 1945, the population was recorded at 600. In the 1944/45 growing season, a total of 4,887 dunums
of village land was planted in cereals; 362 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
, Dayr Nakhkhas was defended by the Egyptian Army
. The village was depopulated as a result of a military assault by Israeli forces on October 29, 1948.
There are no Israeli settlements on village land. Nehusha
is about 3 km due west on the land of Umm Burj
.
The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
described the village land in 1992: "Nothing remains of the village except a few deserted houses and the rubble of others. One deserted house is made of concrete and has rectangular windows and a flat roof. It is marked with Arabis graffiti and stands in the midst of tall wild grasses and weeds. There is a fenced-in cave. The surrounding land is cultivated by Israeli farmers."
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
village located 20 km northwest of Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
, overlooking Wadi
Wadi
Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...
Bayt Jibrin
Bayt Jibrin
Bayt Jibrin was a Palestinian Arab village located northwest of the city of Hebron. The village had a total land area of 56,185 dunams or , of which were built-up while the rest remained farmland.The early inhabitants of Bayt Jibrin are the Canaanites...
to the north.
Location
Dayr Nakkhas was situated on the road to HebronHebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
about two miles east of Bayt Jibrin. Perched on a hill, an open corn valley lay below the village. Located in an area rich in archaeological sites, in the land area that belonged to the village, there were some 15 sites, including the village itself (which was built on an earlier ancient site).
History
In a 1596 census for the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, it is recorded that Dayr Nakhkhas was part of nahiya (subdistrict) of Halil [i.e. al-Khalil, or Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
], under the liwa'
Liwa (arabic)
Liwa or Liwa is an Arabic term meaning district, banner, or flag, a type of administrative division. It was interchangeable with the Turkish term "Sanjak" in the time of the Ottoman Empire. After the fall of the empire, the term was used in the Arab countries formerly under Ottoman rule...
(district) of Jerusalem, with a population of 72. The inhabitants paid taxes on a number of crops, including wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, olives, as well as on goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s and beehive
Beehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
s.
In The Survey of Western Palestine (1838), the name of the village is transcribed, "Deir Nakhkhâs", and translated as, "the monastery of the cattle drover." In 1881, it is described as; "A very small village perched on a high, steep hill, looking down on the valley to the north. "This is possibly Ir-Nahash (i Chronicles iv. 12)."
It is also said to contain, "A ruined birkeh and a cave with 250 niches."
The village was rectangular in layout, with houses built of stone, expanding along and towards the road linking it to Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. The villagers were Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, and the children attended schools in the neighbouring villages.
By 1945, the population was recorded at 600. In the 1944/45 growing season, a total of 4,887 dunums
Dunam
A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum, dynym, dulum was a non-SI unit of land area used in the Ottoman Empire and representing the amount of land that can be plowed in a day; its value varied from 900–2500 m²...
of village land was planted in cereals; 362 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.
1948, and aftermath
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
, Dayr Nakhkhas was defended by the Egyptian Army
Egyptian Army
The Egyptian Army is the largest service branch within the Egyptian Armed Forces and holds power in the current Egyptian government. It is estimated to number around 379,000, in addition to 479,000 reservists for a total of 858,000 strong. The modern army was created in the 1820s, and during the...
. The village was depopulated as a result of a military assault by Israeli forces on October 29, 1948.
There are no Israeli settlements on village land. Nehusha
Nehusha
Nehusha is a moshav in central Israel. Located five kilometres north-east of Beit Guvrin, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 240....
is about 3 km due west on the land of Umm Burj
Umm Burj, Khirbat
Umm Burj, Khirbat was a Palestinian Arab village in the District of Hebron. It was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War on October 28, 1948 during the Third stage of Operation Yo'av under the command of Yigal Allon. It was located 31 km northwest of Hebron.In 1945 it had a population...
.
The Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi
Walid Khalidi is an Oxford University-educated Palestinian historian who has written extensively on the Palestinian exodus. He is General Secretary and co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies, established in Beirut in December 1963 as an independent research and publishing center...
described the village land in 1992: "Nothing remains of the village except a few deserted houses and the rubble of others. One deserted house is made of concrete and has rectangular windows and a flat roof. It is marked with Arabis graffiti and stands in the midst of tall wild grasses and weeds. There is a fenced-in cave. The surrounding land is cultivated by Israeli farmers."
External links
- Welcome To Dayr Nakhkhas
- Dayr Nakhas from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural CenterKhalil Sakakini Cultural Center is an organization established in 1996. It is located at 4 Raja Street, Ramallah in the West Bank. The traditional manor that houses the centre was the former family home of Khalil Salem Salah, the mayor of Ramallah between 1947/1951, is now owned by the Palestinian...