The moshav was established in 1980 by residents of other local moshavim, with assistance from the Jewish Agency. It was named after the ruins of a Crusader-era settlement in the area, Hurvat Manot, where remains of sugar refinery have been found.[2]
Pirhei Hagalil Apiary is located in Moshav Manot.[3]
In 2015 a 55,000 year old anatomically modern human skull was found in the Dan David-Manot stalactite cave near the moshav. According to the researchers, the discovery sheds light on one of the most dramatic periods in human evolution.[4] In 2016 a 40,000-year-old grindstone used to prepare food and tools was discovered at an Israel Antiquities Authority dig at the site.[5]