Nine half squares were opened over a distance of c. 100 m (Fig. 1) in a hamra layer. Pottery dating to the Chalcolithic period and the Iron Age was found together with small stones in Squares B2–B10; while later artifacts that dated from the Persian (fourth century BCE), Early Roman (first century CE) and Byzantine periods were discovered in Squares B11–B17
 
Potsherds and small stones were exposed in Sq B2 (Fig. 2) and a krater dating to the Iron Age (Fig. 3:8) was found.
A similar level of stones (Figs. 4, 5) was found in Sq B5 and pottery vessels from the Chalcolithic period were recovered, including a V-shaped bowl (Fig. 3:1), a cornet (Fig. 3:2) and a handle of a churn (Fig. 3:4).
A layer of potsherds from the Chalcolithic period and Iron Age was found in Sq B6. The Chalcolithic finds included a lug handle (Fig. 3:3) and two fragments decorated with reed impressions (Fig. 3:5, 6), which is a somewhat uncommon decoration in the Chalcolithic period. A more prevalent decoration—thumb impressions on a ridge—was found on a small potsherd (not drawn). A jug fragment (Fig. 3:10) was attributed to the Iron Age.
The eastern half of a circle, dug into the hamra soil, was exposed in Sq B9; its western half was situated below the road. Within the half circle was the skull of a cow (Bos Taurus) with right and left maxillae, remains of a right horn, one left molar and one left premolar; as well as a right maxilla containing three molars and three premolars of a domesticated pig (Sus Scorfa, M. Sadeh, per. comm.; Fig. 6). These animal bones were found together with potsherds from the Chalcolithic period and should be dated accordingly.
Numerous potsherds from the Iron Age, including a bowl (Fig. 3:7) and jar (Fig. 3:9), were found in Sq B10, which was damaged by the installation of a sewer pipe.
A cistern (diam. 2.77 × 3.10 m, wall thickness 0.7 m, depth 1.9 m; Fig. 7), built of small fieldstones (0.10 × 0.15 m; Fig. 8) and dating to the Byzantine period, was found in Sq B11.
A layer of dark soil that contained five cooking pots from the Early Roman period (first century CE; Fig. 9), as well as potsherds from the Persian period, was exposed in Sq B15.  
The Persian period was represented by three bowls (Fig. 10:1–3), a jar (Fig. 10:4) and a jug (Fig. 10:5), whereas a bowl (Fig. 10:6), a cooking krater (Fig. 10:7), cooking pots (Fig. 10:9–11) and a jar (Fig. 10:12) were attributed to the Early Roman period. A broken iron needle was also found (Fig. 11).
A layer of stones that was damaged by the preliminary trenching was exposed in Sq B16 (Fig. 12). Four fragments of glass bowls that dated to the first half of the first century CE were found (see below), as well as a cooking krater from the Roman period (Fig. 10:8). 
 
Glass Finds
Yael Gorin-Rosen
 
Fragments of four glass bowls were found in Sq B16. Three of the bowls were cast in a mold (Fig. 13:1–3) and the fourth was blown (Fig. 13:4). The bowls in Fig. 13:1, 2, belong to a group known as Ribbed Bowls. These are deep bowls decorated with ribbing on their exterior and with horizontal stripes engraved below the rim on the interior and on the lower part of the body in Fig. 13:1. Both vessels are made of greenish blue glass covered with a layer of black and silver weathering and pitting. Despite the similarity between them—the careless treatment and tool marks left on the top of the ribs—the bowls represent two sub-types that are differentiated by the treatment of their rims and the uneven ribs.
The bowl in Fig. 13:3, made of greenish blue glass and covered with silvery black weathering, belongs to the group of Linear Cut Bowls; these are cast bowls that are decorated on their interior with engraved horizontal stripes, one below the rim and two adjacent to the bottom part of the body.
The base in Fig. 13:4 is made of greenish blue glass covered with thick black weathering that pitted the vessel's wall. The base is thickened, ring shaped and hollow; it has a pontil scar in its center, which clearly indicates that the vessel was blown.
The combination of vessels—cast and blown—is characteristic of the first half of the first century CE. The practice of glass blowing predominated in later periods and cast bowls disappeared. This combination is known from excavations in the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem, where bowls, very similar to those from this excavation, were found. Therefore, the group of glass vessels uncovered in this excavation can be dated to the first half of the first century CE.
 
Two main settlement periods are represented at the site. The early settlement was found in the northern squares and included finds from the Chalcolithic period, the first of its kind in this region (elevation 27.10 m above sea level), and the Iron Age. The late settlement was discovered in the southern squares and included artifacts from the Persian and Early Roman periods.
Middle Bronze Age potsherds were not found in this excavation, although such potsherds were uncovered in other excavations carried out in the region. Potsherds dating mostly to the Middle Bronze Age and a few to the Early Bronze Age and Roman period were found in a recent excavation (Permit No. A-5940) conducted on Ahava Street, c. 50 m south of the current excavation.