During June 2008, a survey was conducted north of the Qela‘ settlement in the Golan Heights (el-Qan‘aba; Survey License No. S-40/2008; map ref. 2634–43/7818–26), prior to development. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Golan Economic Company, was directed by O. Zingboym (photography) and H. Bron, with the assistance of the Golan Regional Council (GIS) and the Orthophoto Company (aerial photography).
The survey was initially conducted on foot in the area, followed by probe trenches dug with the aid of a backhoe. Eleven sites (Fig. 1) were documented, four of which (2, 4, 5, 7) were widespread across an extensive area. The ceramic finds gathered from the survey dated to the Roman (second–fourth centuries CE) and Mamluk (thirteenth–fourteenth centuries CE; most finds) periods. Potsherds from the same periods had also been collected in a previous survey that was conducted at the site (M. Hartal 1989, The Northern Golan – The Archaeological Survey as a Source for the History of the Region. Qazrin, Site 3.48).
It appears that an ancient site was located on an exposed hilltop in the middle of the survey area and most of the land around it was used for farming. Agricultural areas delimited by stone walls, farming terraces, stone clearance heaps, seasonal pools, a tomb and an animal pen were documented. An organized division of the agricultural areas into cultivation plots and the paths separating them was discerned, for example the path between Sites 4 and 5. A modern building and tombs were also recorded.
(1) A modern building surrounded by soil heaps (map ref. 263987/782141).
(2) Agricultural areas delimited by field walls.
(3) A seasonal pool, enclosed within massive stone walls. The pool was probably located along the edge of an ancient settlement and next to farmland (map ref. 263834/782215; Fig. 2).
(4) Numerous farming terraces.
(5) Agricultural areas delimited by field walls (Fig. 3).
(6) Several modern tombs (map ref. 263761/782302).
(7) Agricultural areas delimited by field walls.
(8) A seasonal pool (map ref. 263859/782367).
(9) A plundered dolmen (map ref. 263975/782689; Fig. 4).
(10) An animal pen, possibly ancient (map ref. 264130/782318).
(11) Stone clearance heaps; a very large flat stone that may have originated in a damaged dolmen was discerned (map ref. 264216/782287).