Aqqur is not mentioned in 16th century records, and was likely first settled in a later period.[5]
In 1838, in the Ottoman era, Akur was noted as a Muslim village, in the el-Arkub district, southwest of Jerusalem.[6] In 1856 the village noted by the same name on Kiepert's map of Palestine published that year.[7]
In 1863, Victor Guérin found here a village with 200 inhabitants. He further noted that several of the houses contained some stones from an old church, then totally destroyed, but whose location still retained among the inhabitants the name of Kniseh (church). A well, which passed for antiquity although it was badly constructed, was sufficient to all the needs of this small locality.[8]
An Ottoman village list of about 1870 showed that Aqqur had 38 houses and a population of 140, though the population count included men, only.[9][10]
In 1883, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine described Akur: "A small village on the ledge of the ridge, surrounded by very rugged ground. There is a good spring on the north east, about a mile from the village, on the same ridge."[11]
In 1896 the population of 'Akur was estimated to be about 132 persons.[12]
A British anthropologist, writing in 1932, reported that there was a group of Sidr trees north east of the village believed to be protected by spirits.[15]
In the 1945 statistics, it had a population of 40 Muslims,[2] with a total of 5,522 dunums of land.[3] Of this, 174 dunams were used for irrigable land or plantations, 653 for cereals,[16] while 5 dunams were built-up land.[17]
'Aqqur had a maqam for a local sage known as al-Shaykh Ahmad Sulayman.[18]
The village was depopulated July 13–14, 1948[4]byHarel Brigade units. There had been fighting around the village since April, and many people had fled. Those who remained were expelled.[19][20]
^ abcGovernment of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 56
^ abMorris, 2004, p. xx, village #352. Also gives cause of depopulation
^ abGrossman, D. (1986). "Oscillations in the Rural Settlement of Samaria and Judaea in the Ottoman Period". in Shomron studies. Dar, S., Safrai, S., (eds). Tel Aviv: Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing House. p. 364
^Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Appendix 2, p. 126
^Crowfoot, M. Grace with Louise Baldenserger (1932) From Cedar to Hyssop. A study in the Folklore of Plants in Palestine. The Sheldon Press, London. p.112
^Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 101
^Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 151
