victor guérin described in 1875 the village as being "humble", and situated on a hill. he noted that it had once been much larger, as north of the village centre were ruins of houses. in 1882, the palestine exploration fund's "survey of western palestine" described danna as being situated on a slope, and surrounded by farmland. there was a spring with a watering trough to the west. the village houses were built of stone and adobe.