The neighborhood, originally a village, is built on the southern ridge of the Mount of Olives, where it slopes steeply from approximately above sea level, until it reaches the Kidron Valley, bounding the neighborhood to the west. The historical core of the village is in its northwestern section, adjacent to the City of David across the valley, which is the site of ancient Jerusalem. This location is where dozens of ancient burial tombs attributed to the time of ancient Israel and Judah as well as the Byzantine rule were found. The modern villagers used the tombs as dwellings or as enclosers for livestock. Many of the burial tombs are inhabited until today. The village was built next to numerous water sources of historical importance, such as the Pool of Siloam (Ain Silwan), Gihon Spring and Ein Rogel. The rest of the village was built in the 19th century.