Danna دنه | |
|---|---|
| Etymology: the Amphora[1] | |
.jpg) 1870s map.jpg) 1940s map.jpg) modern mapA series of historical maps of the area around Danna, Baysan (click the buttons) | |
  Danna Location withinMandatory Palestine | |
| Coordinates:32°36′47″N35°28′28″E / 32.61306°N 35.47444°E /32.61306; 35.47444 | |
| Palestine grid | 194/224 |
| Geopolitical entity | Mandatory Palestine |
| Subdistrict | Baysan |
| Date of depopulation | 28 May 1948[4] |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,614dunams (6.614 km2; 2.554 sq mi) |
| Population (1945) | |
• Total | 190[2][3] |
| Cause(s) of depopulation | Expulsion byYishuv forces |
Danna (Arabic:دنه), was aPalestinian village 13 kilometres north ofBaysan that was captured by theIsrael Defense Forces during the1948 Arab-Israeli war, and the villagers were expelled.[4]
A basaltlintel decorated with amenorahbas-relief, dated to the 5th-6th century[5] and discovered at Kafr Danna, is possibly the only remaining element of a Byzantine synagogue once standing there.[6][7]
In 1517 Danna was incorporated into theOttoman Empire with the rest of Palestine. During the16th and17th centuries, it belonged to theTurabay Emirate (1517-1683), which encompassed also theJezreel Valley,Haifa,Jenin,Beit She'an Valley, northernJabal Nablus,Bilad al-Ruha/Ramot Menashe, and the northern part of theSharon plain.[8][9]
In 1596, Danna was part of thenahiya (subdistrict) ofShafa under theliwa' (district) ofLajjun with a population of 5Muslim families, (estimated 28 people). It paid a fixed tax rate of 25% to the Ottoman government on a number of crops, including wheat and barley, and other types of produce, such as goats and beehives; a total of 3,500akçe.[10]
Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, aSwiss traveler toPalestine who passed through the area around 1817, mentioned the village without providing a description.[11][12]
In 1838,Denna was noted as part of the Jenin District.[13][14]
Victor Guérin described in 1875 the village as being "humble", and situated on a hill. He noted that it had once been much larger, as north of the village centre were ruins of houses.[15] In 1882, thePEF'sSurvey of Western Palestine described Danna as being situated on a slope, and surrounded by farmland. There was a spring with a watering trough to the west. The village houses were built of stone andadobe.[16]
In the1922 census of Palestine, conducted by theMandatory Palestine authorities, Danna had a population of 176 Muslims,[17] decreasing in the1931 census to 149, still all Muslims, in 28 houses.[18]
The village was shaped like a rectangle whose longer sides were aligned in a north–south direction. During this era the village expanded and new houses, constructed of stone and adobe brick, were built along the road to the nearby village ofKafra. It was classified as ahamlet in thePalestine Index Gazetteer. There were a few shops and amosque which contained themaqam (shrine) of a Shaykh Daniyal. The village spring provided water for all the residents. The villagers worked primarily inrainfed agriculture.[19]
In the1945 statistics Danna had a population of 190 Muslims,[2] with a total of 6,614dunams of land.[3] Of this, a total of 5,097dunams was used for cereals; 14 dunams were irrigated or used for orchards,[20] while 15 were built-up (urban) land.[21] Grass and leafy vegetation grew on the slopes and peaks of the neighboring mountains and were used for grazing.[19]
On the 28 May 1948 the village was occupied by Israeli forces, and the villagers were expelled.[4]
According to the Palestinian historianWalid Khalidi, 1992, the remaining structures on the village land were:
"Bushes, cactus plants, thorns, and grass now grow around piles of rubble on the village site. Thick weeds grow in the wadi and near the springs. The lands in the area are cultivated by Israeli farmers."[19]
with stylisedlulavim
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