Area A is located north of the Be’er Sheva‘–Nizzana road (Road 211) and just west of Nahal Besor, as far as the sand dunes west of Ashalim (Fig. 2). This loess plain, c. 310–320 m above sea level, is probably in the wadi’s flood plain; the area becomes sandier in the north, until the southern fringes of Holot Haluza.  
Most of the area was leveled and prepared for cultivation and no archaeological sites were found; however, several sites (Table 1) were located in the north, as well as four farming terraces, each built of two courses of stones (Table 2).
 
Table 1. Area A, sites.
Site
Central map ref.
Description
4
170414/542362
Scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age and the Byzantine period (40×40 m)
5
169524/542374
Meager scattering of flint tools (20×20 m) and several potsherds from the Early Bronze Age
7
169527/542465
Encampment site (20×20 m) with scattering of flint tools and potsherds from Early Bronze Age
8
170503/542446
Encampment site with remains of walls, an installation (Fig. 3) and a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age
9
169150/542702
Scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods (30×30 m)
10
169462/542756
Encampment site (50×50 m) with flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age
101
170418/543057
Muslim cemetery (100×150 m), mostly located beyond the survey area
104
170285/543598
Scattering of flint tools and stones (60×60 m), most of which are burnt
105
169150/542294
Scattering of flint tools and a few potsherds from the Early Bronze Age (40×40 m)
106
169555/542545
Encampment site with a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age and the Byzantine and Ottoman periods
107
169465/542575
Encampment site with a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Chalcolithic period
112
169700/543445
Encampment site (100×100 m) with a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Byzantine period
113
169750/542995
Large prehistoric site (c. 90 dunams; Fig. 4). Numerous flint artifacts were found (Fig. 5), including lunettes of the Natufian culture and artifacts from later periods
 
Table 2. Area A, terraces.
Terrace
Central map reference
Length (m)
202
169332/542316
13
203
169554/542644
24
204
169536/542613
41
205
169616/542727
62
 
Area B is located on the northern slopes of the Negev Highland ridges, south of Road 211 and east of Ashalim (Figs. 6–9). The area is characterized by low qirton hills, which are overlain with a flint hamada and whose tops rise to an elevation of 340–350 m above sea level.  Stretching between the hills is a series of broad shallow tributaries that flow northeast, toward Nahal Besor and Nahal Be’er Hayyil. Evidence of military activity is visible in the area.
Nine terrace complexes, preserved at least two courses high (width 0.7–1.0 m, min. height 0.2 m; Figs. 10, 11) were found in the wadi channels (Table 3). Within the area of these complexes and beyond them, cisterns and buildings associated with them were discovered and other sites were discerned (Table 4).
 
Table 3. Area B, agricultural complexes.
Complex
Fig.
No. of terraces
No. of courses
Max. height (m)
Direction of flow in the channel
A
7
46
4
0.5
East–west
B
6
22
4
0.5
South–north
C
7
27
8
1.5
South–north
D
7
21
4
0.6
Southeast-northwest
E
8
15
4
0.5
South–north
F
8
18
5
0.6
South–north
G
9
19
4
0.4
Southeast-northwest
H
9
30
4
0.4
East–west
I
9
6
5
0.5
East–west
 
Table 4. Area B, sites.
Site
Central map ref.
Description
12
171722/539992
Farming terrace built of a single course of small stones arranged in a row (not marked on plan)
13
172224/540345
Six stone heaps (diam. 0.5 m), one course high
15
172256/540253
Stone heap (diam. 3 m), probably an installation, and Byzantine-period potsherds nearby
16
172564/540253
Terrace complex from the Roman–Byzantine periods
17
172550/540768
Cistern hewn in limestone bedrock (depth c. 4–5 m; Fig.12) with a round opening (diam. 1.5 m), preserved four stone courses high. potsherds dating to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods were discovered around the opening
18
173462/541851
Cistern hewn in limestone bedrock (depth c. 4 m; Fig.13) with a rectangular opening (1.0×1.5 m); the cistern is apparently still being used
19
174801/541553
Cistern hewn in limestone bedrock (depth c. 4.5 m; Fig. 14), with a round opening (diam. 1.2 m)
108
174942/541201
Stone wall (length 4 m), one course high
109
174670/541475
Rectangular building (4×5 m; Fig. 15) in Complex C, whose walls are preserved four stone courses high.
110
173803/540960
Large building (15×25 m) on a hilltop, divided into rooms; potsherds from the Early Bronze Age and the Byzantine period were found around it
111
173602/540830
Round structure (diam. 50 m) built of a single stone course; it seems to be an animal pen.
114
175205/541945
Round structure (diam. 5 m; Fig. 16) preserved two stone courses high, next to the end of a terrace
 
Area PV, which was triangular, is located north of Road 211 and west of Area A (See Fig. 1); it included the southeastern fringes of Giv‘at Hayyil. These low qirton hills rise to an elevation of c. 320 m above sea level and are covered in the south with a flint hamada and in the north with small amounts of sand. Intensive earthmoving activity that included exposing the ground and building earthen ramparts is evident in the area; it can be assumed that this activity also caused damage to archaeological sites, which were not discovered.
Six farming terraces (PV0–PV5; see Fig. 2) were found between Areas A and PV.
 
The prehistoric sites in Area A were exposed as a result of winds, carrying away the sand while the flint tools settled in the loess layer. The farming complexes exposed in Area B are indicative of an agricultural settlement that began in the Roman period and continued into the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods. The agricultural areas were also cultivated in the Ottoman period.