The village, during Israel's Second Temple Period, was located in the district known then as Idumaea, named presumably for its inhabitants who were descended from the progeny of Esau, their ancestor, and who came to embrace the Jewish religion in the days of John Hyrcanus.

Five hundred and eighty thousand men were slain in the various raids and battles, and the number of those that perished by famine, disease and fire was past finding out.

"[6] The current ruin sits at a mean elevation of 443 metres (1,453 ft) above sea-level, sprawling over an area of about 15 dunams (3.7 acres).

Potsherds are strewn across its grounds, with several razed houses, one of which showing several courses of large, hewn ashlars, measuring upwards of 2 metres.

The site was inhabited by Jews during the early and late Roman era period, based on the discovery of a ritual bath in situ.

[8] A Byzantine Church is known to have existed at the site in late antiquity,[9][10] where was discovered in 1898 a dedicatory inscription to St. John in both Greek and Syriac.