During August 2010, a trial excavation was conducted in the northern agricultural area of Qibbuz Ma‘agan Mikha’el (Permit No. A-5987; map ref. 193039–80/719380–490), in the wake of exposing ancient remains while supervising the installation of a supply line. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Hof Ha-Carmel Regional Council, was directed by D. Kirzner, with the assistance of R. Mishayev (surveying), P. Gendelman (ceramic consultation), and M. Shuiskaya (drawing).
The excavation was located within the precincts of the Tel Sharish antiquities site, c. 300 m east of the tell and c. 10 m south of the northern Roman dam of the Kabara Lake (Fig. 1).
A square was opened and a limestone layer (L100; 0.3 m below the surface, thickness 5–10 cm; Fig. 2), which contained soft calcareous material mixed with small fieldstones, a few potsherds and small shells, was exposed. A layer of alluvium that included a concentration of large ashlars and several medium and large fieldstones (L102, L103; Fig. 3) was discovered beneath a pale white layer in the eastern half of the square. Some of the stones were close to each other, but in disarray and between them were jar fragments (Fig. 4:1, 2) that dated to the Roman period (first century BCE). A concentration of stones was also found, but due to the limitations of the excavation it was impossible to determine their use.