In November 2016, a salvage excavation was conducted on Ha-Maʽayan Street in Ligad Center, Modiʽin (Permit No. A-7848; map ref. 197070/647155; Fig. 1). The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Efco Equipment (1991) Company, Ltd., was directed by I. Jonish, with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), P. Gendelman (scientific guidance and pottery reading), M. Ajami (consultation), A. Dagot (GPS), D. Masarwa (preliminary inspections) and A. ʽAzab (IAA district archaeologist).
Remains of an agricultural terrace were exposed. The terrace had survived to a height of two courses and was oriented in a general northeast–southwest direction (W12; average width 1 m; Fig. 2–4). The upper course was constructed of large fieldstones (0.5 × 0.7 m) and the bottom course consisted of small fieldstones (0.1 × 0.2 m). Pottery sherds, mostly dating to the early Byzantine period (third–fourth centuries CE), were found in the soil fill in the terrace and in the terrace, when it was dismantled.
The agricultural terrace joins the other agricultural installations uncovered in the area and attests to the agricultural activity that took place in nearby Horbat Haruba and Horbat Zekharya. Although its connection to the ceramic finds is not unequivocal, the agricultural terrace was probably constructed in the Byzantine period (third–fourth centuries CE), like the other installations excavated in the vicinity.