Umm Tuba (;Meaning possibly: "The ruin with the good tree or water", according to Palmer, 1881, p. 312 ) is a Palestinians neighborhood in East Jerusalem part of Sur Baher; it is northeast of Har Homa and Bethlehem, and southeast of Kibbutz Ramat Rachel. Jerusalem Neighborhoods It has a population of 4,000. After the 1967 Six-Day War, Umm Tuba was incorporated into the municipal district of Jerusalem.
Netophah was a prosperous Judean farming village during the First Temple period. An archaeological excavation uncovered at least three royal seal impressions dating from the reign of Hezekiah, King of Judah (eighth century BCE). At least two LMLK seal and two personal seal impressions were discovered on handles of large jars of the type used to store wine and olive oil.
Also discovered on the outskirts of the village is a Jewish burial cave from the Second Temple Period. It follows the kokhim style characteristic of that era. Some of the kokhim openings feature incised Hebrew letters on each side, adorned with a rare and expensive Blue pigments. One of these inscriptions bears the word "qtn", a personal name already documented in Onomastics evidence from the Second Temple Period.
Bell-shaped dug into rock have been discovered. Several tombs carved into rock, one with stone entrance has also been found, together with Byzantine ceramics.Dauphin, 1998, p. 911
French explorer Victor Guérin visited the place in 1863, and described caves and other possible remains from a Christian period.Guérin, 1869, p. 83-85
In 1883, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described the village as "an ancient site with bell-mouthed cisterns and ruins of modern buildings. To the east is a Mukam of Neby Toda."Conder and Kitchener, 1883, p. 128
In the 1945 statistics the population of Umm Tuba, together with Sur Baher, was 2,450, all Muslims,Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics, 1945, p. 25 who owned 8,915 of land according to an official land and population survey.Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 58 911 dunams were plantations and irrigable land, 3,927 used for cereals,Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 104 while 56 dunams were built-up (urban) land.Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 154
Many refugees came to Umm Tuba after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
The Jordanian census of 1961 found 543 inhabitants.Government of Jordan, Department of Statistics, 1964, p. 23
After the 1995 accords 40% of Sur Baher/Umm Tuba land is defined as being in Area A, 3% in Area B, while the remaining 57% is in Area C. In 1997, Israel confiscated 354 dunams of land from Umm Tuba for the Israeli settlements of Har Homa. Sur Bahir & Umm Tuba Town Profile, ARIJ, pp. 4, 14
Classical antiquity
Byzantine period
Ottoman era
British mandate era
Jordanian era
1967-present
Education
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Minefield cleared for new Arab school, Jerusalem Post
The Wingate Charitable Trust has established a joint Jewish-Arab project in which fifth and sixth graders from Umm Tuba and Kiryat HaYovel study science together. At each meeting the children learn about a scientific concept, while becoming acquainted with each other's language and culture. The Universal Language of Science Through the Abraham Project at the Bible Lands Museum in Givat Ram, fourth graders from Umm Tuba meet with their Jewish peers to learn about their common ancestor, Abraham/Ibrahim. 'Abraham' Project Brings Jewish, Muslim Kids Together, CBS In 2012, Umm Tuba
Elementary School took part in an environmental water conservation project financed by the Jerusalem Foundation. Rainwater Harvesting
Demography
Notable people
Bibliography
External links
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