a map by pierre jacotin from napoleon's invasion of 1799 showed the place, misnamed as "el mead," in the late 19th century, the village was described as being built of stone, situated on a slight rise in a valley, surrounded by olive and fig trees, and arable land. there were an estimated 300 druze living there. later, the residents were described as muslims who maintained a village mosque. in 1887, the ottoman authorities built a school in ´amqa.