‘Allar

‘Allar was located on the northeastern slope of a mountain range, overlooking a valley branching from Wadi al-Sarar, which runs parallel to the range. A secondary road connected the village to another road linking Bayt Jibrin to Bethlehem, passing approximately one kilometer south of ‘Allar.
In the year 1596, ‘Allar was registered as a village in the subdistrict (nahiya) of Jerusalem (liwa’ al-Quds), with a population of 204. The villagers paid taxes on wheat, barley, olive trees, carob molasses, goats, and beehives.
The traveler Edward Robinson visited the area in 1838 and described ‘Allar as situated on a hill slightly elevated above its counterpart, Lower ‘Allar. By 1875, the population had reached approximately 400. In the late 19th century, ‘Allar was described as a village built along the slope of a hill, bordered by a well to the south and rock-hewn tombs to the north. The village extended along an east–west axis, with its stone houses connected by narrow, winding alleys flanked by small shops.
The inhabitants of ‘Allar were Muslims and had established four local shrines (maqamat) around the village. Their children received education in the village’s primary school.
Agriculture was the main source of livelihood for the residents, with a focus on cultivating grains, vegetables, olives, and grapevines—most of which were rain-fed crops. Some agricultural plots were irrigated using water sourced from several nearby springs, including ‘Ayn al-Tannur.
In 1944–1945, a total of 2,234 dunums were dedicated to grain cultivation, while 353 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards. Wild plants and trees also grew naturally in the village area. ‘Allar and its surroundings included several archaeological sites, such as Khirbat al-Shaykh Ibrahim (grid ref. 156125), named after a local sheikh whose tomb became a shrine.