Mazraat Meshref

For other uses, see Mazraa (disambiguation).

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

Mazraat Meshref مزرعة مشرف
Municipality
Mazraat Meshref
Coordinates: 33°12′33″N 35°20′10″E
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	South Governorate
District	Tyre
Area [1]
• Total	4.88 sq mi (12.65 km2)
Elevation [1]	1,300 ft (400 m)
Time zone	GMT +3

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]