In January 2017, a salvage excavation was conducted at Tel Yehud, near the corner of Weizmann St. and Qedoshei Mizrayim St. in Yehud (Permit No. A-7885; map ref. 189904/660074), after ancient remains were discovered in inspections carried out prior to the creation of a public park. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by the Yehud Economic Corporation, was directed by I. Jonish (field photography), with the assistance of Y. Amrani and E. Bachar (administration), P. Gendelman (archaeological supervision), E. Jakoel and G. Itach (consultation), A. Dagot (GPS), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), E.C.M. van den Brink (consultation, pottery), M. Oron (flint tools) and A. ‘Azab (IAA Central District). L Rauchberger conducted the preliminary inspections at the site.
In Sq D3, an occupation layer was uncovered (L11; c. 0.4 m thick; Fig. 3), exhibiting numerous fragments of pottery vessels and flint items from the Chalcolithic period. Refuse pits were unearthed in Sqs C3 (L51, L53) and D6 (L50, L52; Figs 4, 5), also containing numerous fragments of pottery vessels and flint items from the Chalcolithic period. The pottery assemblage retrieved in the excavation included a variety of vessels from the Ghassulian culture in the Chalcolithic period, among them V-shaped bowls (Fig. 6:1–3), bowls decorated with thumb-imprinted rims (Fig. 6:4), pedestal bases of chalices (Fig. 6:5, 6), kraters (Fig. 6:7–9), basins (Fig. 6:10, 11), holemouth jars (Fig. 6:12, 13), jars (Fig. 6:14–16), cornet bases (Fig. 6:17, 18), a perforated cornet handle (Fig. 6:19), perforated handle (Fig. 6:20) and a ledge handle (Fig. 6:21).
Flint Assemblage
Maya Oron
Worked flint items were found in the excavation (Table 1; N=58), mainly in Sqs C3 and D6. The items were mostly made of a brown-gray colored raw material, sometimes transparent, apparently of the Mishash Formation, and were well preserved. The assemblage includes ad hoc tools made on flakes and blades (Fig. 7:1, 2), lacking indicative or formal tools characteristic of a specific culture or period. However, it is evident, that at the site, flint was trimmed to produce bladelets, which are characteristic of the Chalcolithic period; this industry manifested itself at the site in debitage, in the cores (Fig. 7:3) and the core debitage. Most of the assemblage consists of stone-trimming debris (82%), including mainly blades and bladelets, along with flakes and preliminary items, as well as a flake apparently deriving from a bifacial tool (Fig. 7:4).
Table 1. Flint items
Item
|
N
|
%
|
Chips
|
4
|
6.9
|
Preliminary items
|
8
|
13.8
|
Flakes
|
11
|
19
|
Blades
|
15
|
25.9
|
Bladelets
|
4
|
6.9
|
Core debitage
|
5
|
8.6
|
Bifacial tool debitage
|
1
|
1.7
|
Total debitage
|
48
|
82.8
|
Tools
|
5
|
8.6
|
Cores
|
5
|
8.6
|
Total
|
58
|
100
|