 In 1875, when Victor Guérin visited, Az-Zeeb had 500 Muslim inhabitants.Guérin noted that the hill on which it was built had formerly been surrounded by a wall, traces of which were still to be seen on the east side.By the late 19th century, most of the village houses were built of stone, a mosque and a clinic had been established, and the residents cultivated olives, figs, mulberries, and pomegranates.