Four excavation areas (A–D; Fig. 1) were opened and building remains (an installation?) from the Roman period, kurkar quarries, one of which might have been converted for use as a kiln in the Byzantine period, and a tomb dating to the Roman period were exposed, as well as a wealth of artifacts dating to the Roman and Byzantine period, including fragments of pottery and glass vessels, coins and architectural elements.
 
Area A. Remains of three walls in a U-form (W29–W31; Figs. 2, 3) were excavated. They were built of different size fieldstones, bonded with mortar that contained ground shells and organic material, and were founded directly on a sand dune. There was ash on the walls, possibly indicating they were part of an industrial installation in which fire was used. The ceramic finds discovered adjacent to and between the walls included baggy-shaped store jars dating to the first–second centuries CE (Fig. 4:11, 12) and a base fragment of a jug from the first century CE (Fig. 4:16).
 
Area B. An ancient kurkar quarry for building stones (5.5×9.0 m, depth 2.2 m; Figs. 5, 6) was exposed. Quarrying steps were revealed on the northern and eastern sides of the quarry. The width of the moderate steps on the northern side varied, whereas the steps on the eastern side were narrow and steep (width 0.16–0.20 m). The quarrying marks indicate different size stones were hewn (0.22×0.51×0.78 m, 0.30×0.42×0.75 m). A meager amount of worn, non-diagnostic potsherds was discovered in the quarry. 
 
Area C. Two adjacent quarries were exposed on top of a kurkar hill (Fig. 7). The quarry on the eastern side was small (L14, L15, L19, L23; 6.5×10.0 m, depth 1.3 m). Black soil, stones lying around and fragments of marble architectural elements were discovered in the quarry. The marble items were apparently brought from Caesarea for use as raw material in the production of lime (Fig. 8). A round, rock-hewn pit (L18; diam. 0.4, depth 0.4 m) was discovered on the bottom of the quarry, beneath the stone collapse (L15). This might be part of a kiln that was not completely exposed and operated after the quarry was no longer in use. Eight bronze coins (IAA 137093–137100) were discovered in the quarry, among them a Nabataean coin (70–106 CE), two coins from the second half of the third century CE (253–296 CE), four coins from the early fourth century CE (308–324 CE) and one coin from the fourth–fifth centuries CE (324–497 CE). In addition, pottery from the Roman period (second–fourth centuries CE) was found, including a casserole (Fig. 4:4), a cooking pot (Fig. 4:6), baggy-shaped jars (Fig. 4:13–15) and two amphorae from North Africa and Cyprus (Fig. 4:9, 10). The marble architectural items in the quarry included fragments of chancel screens from the Byzantine period (Fig. 9:1–3), a piece of a cornice, probably from the Roman period (Fig. 9:4), a fragment of an inscription from the Byzantine period that was in secondary use in a floor (Fig. 9:5), fragments of tables from the Byzantine period (Fig. 9:6, 7), a mortar from the Byzantine period (Fig. 9:8) and a fragment of a Latin inscription, probably from the Roman period (Fig. 9:9).
The second quarry, on the western side, was extensive (L20, L24; 10×16 m, max. depth 2.24 m; Fig. 10) and included many quarrying steps that descended southward. The straight stone dressing marks discovered on the rock show that the quarrying was done with the use of a chisel. Stones visible in the quarry, whose quarrying was unfinished, had been left in place, with separating channels hewn around them. Signs of quarried stones (0.3×0.5×0.9 m) were evident. Eight hewn steps (width 0.5–0.9 m) on the western side led down to the bottom of the quarry. Part of a rock-hewn cavity (L25; 0.7×2.0 m, height 0.86 m; Fig. 11) was discovered on the northern side of the quarry; it was probably a burial loculus that predated the quarry. Only a small amount of stone-cutting debris was discovered in the excavation and therefore it is assumed that the final dressing of most stones was done elsewhere. Fragments of pottery vessels dating to the Roman period were discovered in the fill inside the quarry, including a thin-walled bowl from the first century CE (Fig. 4:1), a cooking pot from the second–third century CE (Fig. 4:8), casseroles from the first–second centuries CE (Fig. 4:3, 5) and a fragment of a fry pan imported from Italy and dating to the first century CE (Fig. 4:2).
It seems that the quarries were used for hewing stones utilized in building the Roman road that passed close by or for construction in nearby Caesarea, probably in the Roman period.
 
Area D. A square tomb (3.5×3.5 m; Figs. 12, 13) that included three rectangular burial benches hewn around a square courtyard was discovered. Two burial phases were discovered in the western burial bench (L36; 0.59×1.95 m, depth 0.66 m). Nine deceased, some of them in anatomical articulation (below) were found, as well as several scattered fragments of pottery and glass vessels. Several human bones and scattered fragments of pottery and glass vessels were discovered in the southern burial bench (L38; 0.72×2.10 m, depth 0.66 m). Several human bones, along with ribbed body fragments of jars and an intact glass bracelet that is dated to the third–fourth centuries CE, were discovered in the eastern burial bench (L39; 0.74×2.07 m, depth 0.66 m). Burial Benches 38 and 39 were apparently plundered in the past. Two rock-cut steps led to the central courtyard (L37; 1.65×1.90 m, depth 0.7 m). Two small pits were discovered on the bottom of the courtyard. A small cooking pot dating to the second–third centuries CE (Fig. 4:7) and fragments of glass vessels dating to the first and third–fourth centuries CE were discovered in the courtyard (see below). 
 
Anthropological Remains
Vered Eshed
 
Bones were discovered in each of the three burial benches (L36, L38, L39) in the tomb exposed in Area D; the bones belonged to a total of thirteen individuals (Table 1). Bench 36 was discovered sealed, whereas Benches 38 and 39 were plundered, probably in the past.
 
Burial Bench 36 was undisturbed, but seems to have been opened several times for burials because two superposed burial phases were revealed in it. The bones in this burial bench belonged to nine individuals: six were adults, four males and two females, and three were children.
Three individuals were discovered in the upper burial phase, two of whom were buried in articulation in the center of the tomb (Individuals 1, 2). Both individuals were aligned north–south, with the head in the south, facing west (Fig. 14). Individual 1 was an adult female buried in a supine position with her arms at her side; based on the length of the long bones the individual was c. 150 cm tall. A significant amount of calculus was discovered on that individual’s teeth (Fig. 15). Individual 2 was a child placed next to the adult, with his head in the vicinity of the adult’s pelvis. The third individual (3) was an adult, whose bones were discovered scattered near the two others and his skull was found in the northwestern corner of the tomb. It seems that Individual 3 was buried prior to Individuals 1 and 2, and he was moved at the time of their interment.
Four individuals were discovered in the lower burial phase; two were adults (4, 5), one was a child (6) and another one—an infant (7). The two adults were males; Individual 4 was elderly and the other—young. They were aligned north–south and buried in a supine and articulated position, with the head on the southern side. The two adults were placed next to each other; Individual 4 at the western side of the burial bench with his head facing forward to the north and Individual 5 next to him on the east. The child was placed on the elder Individual 4, with its head close to the adult’s chest. The child’s long bones were discovered gathered together, some articulated, near its skull. The infant’s bones were discovered in the bone assemblage in this burial phase. Bones belonging to two other adult individuals (8, 9) were also discovered in this burial bench.
 
Burial Bench 38. Several bones were discovered in this burial bench, including fragments of postcranial bones; most of the bones were of a foot and hand, as well as fragments of skull bones, representing at least one adult individual. 
 
Burial Bench 39. Several bones were discovered in this burial bench, including fragments of postcranial and skull bones, representing at least two adult individuals, a male (1) and a female (2). The pathology on the teeth of Individual 1 indicates a period of stress during childhood, probably due to poor socio-economic conditions.
 
Table 1. Breakdown of age and gender of the individuals in the burial benches.
Locus/individual
Sex of the Individual
Estimated age
 
Male
Female
Child
Adult
Estimated age
L36, Individual 1
 
+
 
+
30
L36, Individual 2
 
 
+
 
5–6
L36, Individual 3
+
 
 
+
30
L36, Individual 4
+
 
 
+
>50
L36, Individual 5
+
 
 
+
15
L36, Individual 6
 
 
+
 
3
L36, Individual 7
 
 
+
 
0–1
L36, Individual 8
 
+
 
+
?
L36, Individual 9
+
 
 
+
?
L38
 
 
 
+
>15
L39, Individual 1
+
 
 
+
40–50
L39, Individual 2
 
+
 
+
>15
 
Glass
Yael Gorin-Rosen
 
Fragments of seven different glass vessels were discovered in the central courtyard of the tomb that was exposed in Area D (L37). The fragments were covered with weathering, on their sections as well, and it therefore seems that the tomb was plundered in antiquity. The glass vessels are known from other funerary assemblages. In addition, an intact glass bracelet was discovered in Burial Bench 39. Based on the dating of the vessels, two periods of use can be proposed for the tomb. The early period was in the first century CE, which is represented by two vessel bases (Fig. 16:1, 2). These two bases are made of glass that is especially thick. The shade of the glass and the quality of the material are characteristic of the Late Hellenistic and the Early Roman periods. The base in Fig. 16:1 is made of colorless glass that has a greenish yellow tinge; it is covered with silver and gold weathering and severe pitting. The base is round and thickened and a mark that might have been made by a pontil or some other tool is visible at its end. The base in Fig. 16:2 is made of greenish blue glass with green veins; it is covered with silver-brown weathering and pitting. This is a flat, thickened base with a coarse pontil scar (diam. 8 mm). The late phase of use in the tomb was the Late Roman period, which is represented by three fragments of vessels (Fig. 16:3–5) and an intact bracelet (Fig. 16:6). The vessel in Fig. 16:3 is a bottle, whose neck and part of the body are preserved. It is made of greenish blue glass and is covered with silver-black weathering. The bottle has a broad funnel rim adorned with a trail that is wrapped horizontally below the rim. The neck of the bottle becomes wider toward the bottom and the side is especially thick. This bottle dates to the Late Roman period (fourth century CE) based on analogies of similar bottles that were discovered in tombs. A very similar bottle was recovered from a tomb in Samaria and was dated to the second half of the third and first half of the fourth centuries CE (D. Barag 1970. Glass Vessels of the Land of Israel in the Roman and Byzantine Periods. Ph.D. dissertation, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem [Hebrew]. Pp. 192–193, Type 1-17, Pl. 42:1–7, and other references therein). The vessel in Fig. 16:4 is a low, concave base; based on the material and the form, it might belong to the bottle in Fig. 16:3. A concave and thickened base of another bottle and a neck fragment of a third bottle that is decorated with a trail were also discovered (not drawn). The vessel in Fig. 16:5 is a jar, of which fragments of the rim, shoulder and base were preserved. It is made of yellowish green glass and is adorned with trails of the same color. The rim is slightly everted and on its bottom part is a closed fold. The neck is very short and wide and the body is globular or barrel-shaped. The base is concave and thickened with a coarse pontil scar on it. The vessel is decorated with thin horizontal trails that apparently extended across the entire body, as well as a zigzag trail of the same color that extends from the shoulder to the end of the rim. Jars like these are also characteristic of the Late Roman period. A very similar jar was discovered in Tomb 19 at Megiddo, dating to the fourth century CE (Barag 1970:152, Type 1-9, Pl. 34:1–9, and further references therein). The bracelet (Fig. 16: 6) is made of dark colored glass and is covered with a layer of hard black weathering, which precludes identifying the color of the bracelet. It is decorated with broad ribs and is semi-circular in cross-section. This type dates to the third–fourth centuries CE (Spaer M. 1988. The Pre-Islamic Glass Bracelets of Palestine. Journal of Glass Studies 30:55–56, Type B3:a, Fig. 5).