Zweitina
The al-Fawwar spring (Arabic: نبع الفوار), named so because it flows sporadically, lies within the village. The spring was called Sabte during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus in Syria. The village is also very close to the Krac des Chevaliers, or Qal'at al-Ḥiṣn. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CNS), Zweitina had a population of 697 in the 2004 census. Its inhabitants are predominantly Christians. The village has a Greek Orthodox Church and a Greek Catholic Church.
Etymology
The name Zweitina is derived from the word zeitoun which is Arabic for olive. Zweitina is Arabic for a single olive fruit. Olive trees dominate the forests of Zweitina and are considered the most important crops in the village which produces large amounts of olive product, thus justifying the name. Others argue that the name was derived from the Aramaic language and means "the land where silkworms grow" and refers to the silkworms which live and grow on berry trees found in the village's forests.
Demographics
Zweitina has a fixed population during most of the year, but reaching approximately 5,000 inhabitants in summer. It is a village where Christianity dominates. Almost 75% of the original population live outside the village. The US state of Pennsylvania, is home to the largest diaspora of immigrants from the village, approximately 500 families. Zweitina is situated very close to the neighboring village of Marmarita, another Christian village.
References
- ^ René Dussaud. TOPOGRAPHIE HISTORIQUE DE LA SYRIE ANTIQUE ET MÉDIÉVALE.
- ^ "Information" (in Arabic). Marmarita. Retrieved 2006-11-29.
- ^ "الموسوعة المسيحية العربية الإلكترونية".
- ^ "الموسوعة المسيحية العربية الإلكترونية".
- ^ "Immigrants in USA" (in Arabic). Marmarita. Retrieved 2006-11-29.