During a preliminary survey and while clearing the dense vegetation from the area, twenty-six sites were identified and two excavation areas (D, E) were opened on both sides of Ha-Amirim Boulevard (Fig. 1).
 
Area D (Figs. 2, 3)
A watchman’s hut (20) preserved in its entirety, except for its ceiling, was exposed, as well as a long wall (W200) used as a farming terrace, a field tower (22) and two stone clearance heaps (21, 23). In addition, an architectural complex, apparently part of a farmstead that included a central courtyard, was discovered.
Watchman’s Hut (20; Fig. 4). This structure was exposed in the northeastern corner of Area D. It was square on the outside (5×5 m) and oval on the inside (inner dimensions 2.3 × 3.4 m; Fig. 5). The watchman’s hut walls (width 0.7 m, height 1.9 m), founded on the bedrock, were built of large roughly hewn stones in dry construction (0.4 × 0.7 × 0.9 m). The floor consisted of smoothed stone slabs. The walls forming the inner oval outline were inclined inward, indicating a domed ceiling, probably corbelled vault. A watchman’s hut with a similar ceiling was exposed nearby (HA-ESI 121). The entrance to the watchman’s hut (width 0.7 m, height 1.5 m) was on the north side. The outer southwestern corner of the structure adjoined W210, built of roughly hewn stones and founded on the bedrock, which was probably part of a rear courtyard that joined the watchman’s hut.  
The ceramic artifacts recovered from inside and around the structure were meager and included several body fragments of worn pottery vessels from the Roman period.
Farming Terrace (W200). The terrace (exposed length 45 m, width 2 m, preserved height 1.2 m), founded on the bedrock, was built of large roughly hewn stones (0.25 × 0.50 × 0.60 m) with a core of different size stones.
A silo (L410) for storing grain that was built of roughly hewn fieldstones was incorporated in the northern side of the terrace, 20 m from the western corner.
Stone Clearance Heap (21; 2.3 × 9.0 m, height 1.2 m). The heap, situated 25 m west of the watchman’s hut, was founded on the bedrock, and built of two rows of roughly hewn stones (0.4 × 0.6 × 07 m) with a core of small stones. A rectangular installation (L413; 0.7 × 1.7 m) built of roughly hewn stones and preserved a single course high (0.3 m) was exposed next to the southeastern corner of the heap. No finds were discovered inside the installation or around it; consequently it was not possible to determine its nature.
Field Tower (22; 3 × 5 m, height 1.2 m). The tower, set on top of bedrock, was built of roughly hewn stones with a core of small fieldstones. A probe, excavated in the tower (1 × 1 m) and reaching bedrock, was devoid of any potsherds or other finds; therefore, it was not possible to determine the date of the structure.
Stone Clearance Heap (23; 2 × 12 m, height 1.2 m). The heap, founded on bedrock and built of two rows of roughly hewn stones (0.3 × 0.5 × 0.7 m) and a core of small stones in dry construction, was preserved four courses high. A round installation (diam. 0.6 m), built of small stones and founded on bedrock, was exposed in the northern side of the northern casing wall. The ceramic finds included several worn body fragments of pottery vessels from the Roman period.
Farmstead. A long wall (W213) built of roughly hewn stones in dry construction and founded on bedrock was exposed. The remains of three adjacent rooms (1–3) and other structures (4–6) were documented east, west and south of it. Room 1, in the north, was delimited by Walls 213 and 207. The ceramic finds included several worn body sherds dating to the Roman period. Room 2 (5 × 5 m) was delimited by Walls 206 and 207, adjoining W213 on the east. The walls, built of large roughly hewn stones (0.4 × 0.7 × 1.1 m) in dry construction, were founded on bedrock and preserved a single course high (0.4 m). The floor of the room consisted of smoothed stone slabs, except for places where bedrock was leveled and served as a floor. The scant ceramic finds included a few body sherds of vessels and a worn jar handle from the Roman period.
Bedrock was leveled and prepared for use as a floor in Room 3. The pottery finds in that room included a small amount of worn potsherds dating to the Roman period.
Remains of three walls (W214, W218, W219) belonged to Structure 4. The walls, preserved a single course high, were built of large, roughly hewn stones in dry construction, founded on leveled bedrock that had been prepared for use as a floor. The large room (7×9 m) contained several worn potsherds from the Roman period.
Structure 5 had survived by the eastern wall (W212, W213) and sections of a southern wall (W215, W216, W217), built of roughly hewn stones in dry construction and founded on bedrock. Wall 216, preserved two courses high, was built of roughly hewn stones (0.4 × 0.5 × 0.7 m). Walls 215 and 217 were built of two rows of roughly hewn stones with a core of small stones. The structure was accessed by way of an entrance on the east (width 0.7 m), between Walls 212 and 213.
Structure 6 was separated from Structure 5 by an alley (width 3 m). A single wall (W211, length 20 m, height 1.55 m), set on top of bedrock, had remained of Structure 6; it was built of two rows of roughly hewn stones (0.35 × 0.50 × 0.70 m) in dry construction, with a core of small stones. 
A round installation (diam. 0.8 m) built of small stones was incorporated in W211, c. 5 m from its western corner. No potsherds or other finds were recovered from the installation and therefore its function could not be determined.

Area E (Fig. 6)
Collapsed remains of a farming terrace (W600) were exposed in the area, as well as four small rooms (51–54) that were incorporated in it and probably used for storing grain, and two poorly preserved watchman’s huts (50, 55).
Farming Terrace (W600). The terrace, founded on bedrock and oriented east–west, was in a mediocre state of preservation. It was built in dry construction of two rows of large roughly hewn stones (0.30 × 0.40 × 0.65 m) with a core of small stones.
Four Small Rooms (51–54; 2.0 × 2.5 m). These were adjacent to W600 and only their foundations were preserved. Their walls were founded on bedrock, which was leveled and prepared for use as a floor. The entrance (width 0.7 m) to the rooms was on the south side. Room 53 (L502; Fig. 7) was preserved three courses high, whereas the other rooms only survived a single course high. The meager finds in this room included a few worn body sherds of pottery vessels from the Roman period. (W600). The terrace, founded on bedrock and oriented east–west, was in a mediocre state of preservation. It was built in dry construction of two rows of large roughly hewn stones (0.30 × 0.40 × 0.65 m) with a core of small stones.
A Watchman’s Hut The watchman’s hut was built of roughly hewn stones (0.30 × 0.45 × 0.50 m) and its walls were founded on bedrock. It was entered from the west through a doorway (width 1 m), set between Walls 611 and 613, which were preserved three courses high; the structure’s ceiling had collapsed inward. A courtyard was built next to the northern side of the watchman’s hut. Only one of its walls (W612) had survived a single course high; it was built of medium-sized roughly hewn stones in dry construction. The wall was founded on the bedrock that had been leveled and prepared for use as the floor of the courtyard. No potsherds or other datable artifacts were discovered in the courtyard (L512). (50; inner diam. 4 m, outer diam. 6 m; Fig. 8) with a courtyard was exposed at the eastern end of the area.
Watchman’s Hut Only one poorly preserved wall (W614) had survived a single course high at the southern end of the area. The watchman’s hut had been severely damaged during the construction and development work in Qazir. (55).
 
Structures similar to those exposed in the excavation were discovered at the site of al-Ahwat, c. 700 m west of the excavation area; they were dated to the Iron Age based on the small finds discovered in them (HA-ESI 110:32*–34*) and in other excavations in the region (‘Atiqot 55:83–107, 109–159; HA-ESI 120). The site was damaged when the ground was being prepared for construction in Qazir and it is difficult to determine the period of the remains in the absence of datable finds. The few worn potsherds that were found dated to the Roman period.
An analysis of the findings in the excavation area, the nature of the complex preservation, and the absence of any signs of destruction, indicate that the site, which constituted the agricultural hinterland of a larger settlement in the Roman period, was abandoned at some point in time.