Atarah

Atara is a Hebrew word meaning 'crown'. As an article of clothing, it is referenced in the following verses of the Hebrew Bible.

Crowns also serve as a metaphor in the following references:

'Atara

'Atara (Arabic: عطارة‎ ′Atâra) is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, located 15 kilometers north of Ramallah in the central West Bank. A village of nearly 2,300 inhabitants, it is situated along a mountain ridge line with four peaks and is built upon the second highest point in the West Bank at 810 meters above sea level.

Nearby localities include Jifna to the south, Bir Zeit to the southwest, Kobar to the west, Rawabi and Ajjul to the northwest, Abwein to the north, Sinjil to the northeast and al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya to the east. 'Atara's total land area consists of 9,545 dunams, most of which is cultivable.

History

Edward Robinson identified 'Atara with the Biblical Ataroth mentioned in the Book of Joshua. However, some modern authorities prefer to place Ataroth elsewhere.

Ottoman era

In 1517, the village was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire with the rest of Palestine. In 1596 it appeared in the tax registers as being in the Nahiya of Quds of the Liwa of Quds. It had a population of 55 Muslim households and paid taxes on wheat, barley, olives, vines or fruit trees, and goats or beehives.