The ancient city is believed to have been located on the site of the depopulated village of al-Majdal, which preserved the name.

[4] In 1908, a small group of German Catholics who identified the site as the birthplace of Mary Magdalene settled there.

[5] They left after a year and the land was bought by Russian Zionists who founded a training farm, Ahuzat Moskva (Moscow Estate) in 1910.

[3] An encampment of Gdud HaAvoda workers who built the Tiberias-Rosh Pinna road was established there in 1921.

[8] According to a census conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities, Migdal had a population of 51 inhabitants, consisting of 42 Jews and 9 Muslims.