Mazraat Meshref (Arabic: مزرعة مشرف) is a municipality in Tyre District, Governorate of South Lebanon.

Etymology

According to E. H. Palmer in 1881, the name Mezrah means "the sown land".[2]

History

"In the Wady Ashur, west of Mezrah, may be seen the most important rock sculpture in the whole of the country round Tyre. It is a cdla or niche cut in the rock, below a great cavern cut out of the wall of the valley. The end of the niche is entirely occupied by a carving, which has an Egyptian appearance. The head-dresses especially of the principal personage, who is represented sitting, are quite those of Egypt, and greatly resemble the pschent. Like all these Egypto-Phoenician sculptures, that of the Wady Ashur has the winged globe. The whole greatly resembles the Egyptian door of Umm el Awamid. Unfortunately the carving is in a very bad state. It has for centuries served as a mark for the Metawileh who traverse the valley, and in hatred of idolatry, think they must fire a shot at it".[3]

In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described Mezrah: "A small village, built of stone, on hill-top, spring, birket, and cisterns, with many ruined houses; it contains about 100 Metawileh. There are olives, figs, and arable land around."[4] They further noted: "There are ruined houses, lintels of well-dressed stone, and some cisterns in this village."[5]

Demographics

In 2014, Muslims made up 99.33% of registered voters in Mazraat Meshref. 97.40% of the voters were Shiite Muslims.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b Mazraat El Mechref (archive.org), Localiban
  2. ^ Palmer, 1881, p. 30
  3. ^ Renan, 1864, p. 640, as given in Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 136
  4. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 93
  5. ^ Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 136
  6. ^ "التوزيع حسب المذاهب للناخبين/ناخبات في بلدة مزرعة مشرف، قضاء صور محافظة الجنوب في لبنان". إعْرَفْ لبنان.

Bibliography

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