page_title: Al-Badhan
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Al-Badhan / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The brook known as Wadi al-Badhan, on the West Bank, northeast of Nablus
context_page_description: al-Badhan is a Palestinian village in the Nablus Governorate in the North central West Bank, located 7.28 kilometres northeast of Nablus, and 1.5 kilometres to the north of Elon Moreh. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the village had a population of 2,422 inhabitants in mid-year 2006. The adjacent valley, Wadi al-Badhan, is a picturesque natural area located 5 km northeast of Nablus on the road leading to the Jordan Valley. The area is characterized by abundant springs and diversity of wildlife. The area is one of the most beautiful natural areas in the West Bank and has a nature reserve to preserve wildlife.
context_section_description: Scholars today hold that al-Badhan is to be identified with the Badan (Hebrew: בדן; באדן) citied in the 2nd-century CE Mishnah and Tosefta, said to be a place then settled by Samaritans and renowned for its pomegranates. The place features prominently in Samaritan tradition. The village has several sites of archaeological interest including 12 ancient watermills. Victor Guérin passed through the region in 1870, where he described its geographical features.
caption: The riverine brook Wadi al-Badhan
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