▁al - U mar ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁and ▁abandoned ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Pierre ▁Jac ot in ▁recorded ▁a ▁castle ▁at ▁Y ok ne am ▁on ▁a ▁map ▁he ▁made ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 9 ▁during ▁Napoleon ▁Bon ap arte ' s ▁ 1 7 9 8 – 1 8 0 1 ▁French ▁campaign ▁in ▁Egypt ▁and ▁Sy ria . ▁The ▁castle ▁name ▁is ▁given ▁as ▁the ▁Ch ate au ▁d ' El ▁K ire h ▁( Cast le ▁of ▁Q ira ), ▁probably ▁der iving ▁from ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁nearby ▁village ▁of ▁Q ira . ▁ ▁Charles ▁William ▁Mer ed ith ▁van ▁de ▁Vel de ▁described ▁the ▁site ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁not ing ▁ru ins ▁that ▁included ▁the ▁found ations ▁of ▁a ▁Christian ▁church , ▁and ▁several ▁large ▁v ault ed ▁c aves . ▁Of ▁the ▁area ▁he ▁said : ▁" It ▁is ▁now ▁quite ▁a ▁desert ed ▁region . ▁Here ▁are ▁no ▁more ▁arm ies , ▁no ▁more ▁town spe ople ▁or ▁villages ; ▁a ▁single ▁her d ▁of ▁go ats ▁watched ▁by ▁a ▁few ▁wild ▁Arab s , ▁was ▁all ▁that ▁we ▁met ." ▁ ▁Claude ▁Re ign ier ▁Con der ▁described ▁the ▁site ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁as ▁a ▁" h uge ▁Tell " ▁with ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁a ▁" l ittle ▁By z antine ▁chap el " ▁and ▁a ▁" small ▁fort " ▁built ▁by ▁Z ah ir ▁al - U