as-Samu
Ancient biblical and modern settlement in Palestine / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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As Samu' or es-Samu' (Arabic: السموع) (pronunciationⓘ) is a town in the Hebron Governorate of the West Bank, Palestine, 12 kilometers south of the city of Hebron and 60 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem. The town had a population of 26,011 in 2017.[1]
As Samu' | |
---|---|
Arabic transcription(s) | |
• Arabic | السموع |
• Latin | es Samu' (official) Samua (unofficial) |
Location of As Samu' within Palestine | |
Coordinates: 31°24′N 35°04′E | |
Palestine grid | 156/89 |
State | State of Palestine |
Governorate | Hebron |
Government | |
• Type | Municipality |
• Head of Municipality | abed ennabe elhawamde |
Area | |
• Total | 13,800 dunams (13.8 km2 or 5.3 sq mi) |
Population (2017)[1] | |
• Total | 26,011 |
• Density | 1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi) |
Name meaning | originally Eshtemoa, "Place where prayer is heard"[2] |
As-Samu' is situated on a tell[3] identified with the ancient Jewish town of Eshtemoa, from which it derives its name.[4] Discoveries there include a silver hoard, a burial cave, the 4th-century Eshtemoa synagogue, which was later transformed into a mosque.[5]
Initially a small village in the early Ottoman era,[6] as-Samu' gradually grew into a larger settlement over the years. In 1966, it was the site of the Samu incident. Since the 1990s, as-Samu' has been governed by the Palestinian Authority as part of Area A of the West Bank. It is known for its handwoven kilims.[7]