In May 2015, a trial excavation was conducted at a site located between Highway 6 and Harish (Permit No. A-7421; map ref. 203567–91/707795–837; Fig. 1). The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Israel Natural Gas Company, was directed by M. Hater (field photography), with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), C. Sa‘id and M. Masarwa.
The current excavation yielded remains of a building (F1; Fig. 2), a field tower (F2) and a wall (F3). These indicate the area was the agricultural hinterland of a settlement or a farmhouse. No pottery sherds were found, and the remains could not be dated.
F1. Three walls (W105–W107) built of dry construction and set on the bedrock were exposed. They were part of a structure (L114; Fig. 3) that was entered from the north (L117).
F2. A rectangular field tower was exposed. Their walls (W108–W111; Fig. 4) were built of large fieldstones in dry construction. The eastern part of the structure was set on natural soil, whereas its western part rested on the bedrock.
F3. A wall (W103; Fig. 5) built of large fieldstones in dry construction and set on the bedrock
Was exposed.
Zertal A. and Mirkam N. 2000. The Manasseh Hill Country Survey III: From Nahal ‘Iron to Nahal Shechem. Tel Aviv (Hebrew).