Israel Government Archives (Land Registry Office of Jerusalem - Register of Deeds), p. 39 (Mandatory Organizations); letter written by M. Doukhan, Advocate, on 19 January 1941. "Mara lands," same as "Arazi Metruké" in the Ottoman Land Code, of which there were two kinds: the first being "pasture land" that has been allotted to a village or number of villages, and which cannot be cultivated or turned into private property or belong to individuals (Art. 97 of the Ottoman Land Code). Such lands were used principally as pasture land for grazing; the second being "pasture land" that was privately owned, and which could be used for general cultivation, such as ploughing and sowing (Article 5 of the Law of Disposition of Immovable Property of the year 1913 (1331)), without the necessity of obtaining special authority.
