Aaitit[1] (Arabic: عيتيت) is a municipality located in Tyre District, South Lebanon, north of Qana.
History
In the early 1860s Ernest Renan noted: "Its antiquities are a stone with three circles, two with rays, in which are crosses (not of great age), a grotto, and beside it a good sarcophagus lid serving to support a press. Near Aitit is a rectangular cemetery, well preserved".[2]
In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described it as "A village, built of stone, containing about 450 Metawileh, situated on hill-top, surrounded by olives and arable cultivation; water supplied from cisterns and a spring near."[3]
They further noted: "There are traces at this village of ancient remains. It is said by the natives that there was once a church here. There are broken pillars scattered about, stone lintels, three caves, and three olive-presses, with cisterns."[4]
Aitit is mainly occupied by the family of the Mohsens, who have the majority of the village.
Modern era
Due to it being close to Israel many attacks have been made against Hezbollah in Aaitit. Most of these incidents were due to the 2006 Lebanon War.
Demographics
As of 2010, Aaitit had a year round population of about 2,500, though it rose to 3,000 in the summers. Some of the population had migrated to Paraguay and Brazil by this point.[5]
In 2014 Muslims made up 98.50% of registered voters in Aaitit. 96.87% of the voters were Shiite Muslims.[6]
References
^From personal name, according to Palmer, 1881, p. 17
^Renan, 1864, p. 641, as given in Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 108
