Namer, Daraa


Namer, also known as Namer al-Hawa, is a village in southern Syria, administratively part of the Izraa District in the Daraa Governorate. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Namer had a population of 2,507 in the 2004 census. Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims, while Christians constitute a large minority.

Geography

Location

Namer is situated at an elevation of above sea level. It is south of the district capital of Izraa, southeast of the subdistrict capital ash-Shaykh Miskin, northeast of the governorate capital of Daraa, north of Khirbet Ghazaleh, and northwest of al-Hirak. The area in which Namer lies is characterized by its rich soils and moderate rainfall, historically providing Namer with significant agricultural bounty and relatively sufficient water resources.

History

Namer was mentioned by the 4th-century historian Eusebius. The 5th-century historian Jerome noted that it was a significant settlement and a place used by Nabatean nomads to encamp and convene.
During Mamluk rule, Namer was part of the wilaya of Adhri'at.

Ottoman period

With the advent of Ottoman rule in Syria in 1517, Namir or part of its revenues were granted as a tax-exempt timar to the amir al-arab, which was a hereditary office of the Al Hayar family. It was the center of the Banu Malik al-Ashraf nahiye of the Hauran Sanjak. In 1596, it appeared in the Ottoman tax registers under the name of 'Tamir'. It had a Muslim population consisting of 98 households and 45 bachelors. They paid a fixed tax-rate of 40% on agricultural products, including wheat, barley, summer crops, goats and bee-hives, in addition to winter pastures and "occasional revenues"; a total of 11,467 akçe. 9/24 of the income went to a waqf.
In 1838, it was noted as being east of ash-Shaykh Miskin, with a Sunni Muslim population.

Modern era

Namer is one of a few towns in the Daraa Governorate with a significant Christian population.

Civil War

During the civil war, some of Namer’s Christian residents joined the local branch of the Popular Committees, organized by the National Defense Forces, which played an auxiliary role in the Syrian Army's recapture of nearby Khirbet Ghazaleh from Free Syrian Army rebels in May 2013.

Demographics

In 2011, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church had approximately 1,000 believers.

Religious buildings