During October 2007, a survey prior to development was conducted in the northern part of Giv‘at Hamudot and in adjacent agricultural areas (Permit No. A-5251; map ref. NIG 213480–4638/772113–4548; OIG 163480–4638/272113–4548), prior to the construction of a new residential neighborhood. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Ministry of Construction and Housing, was directed by Y. Lerer, with the assistance of E. Stern (surveyor) and A. Shapiro (GPS).
Two low chalk hills (Northern—Spot Height 74; Southern—Spot Height 79.9) and a valley with alluvium soil, which extends south of Nahal Bezet and west of the hills, were surveyed. The region had been surveyed in the past within the Archaeological Survey of Israel (Map of Akhziv [1] and Map of Hanita [2], p. 123). One hundred and ten sites were discovered (Fig. 1); the soft chalk bedrock was utilized for quarrying building stones, as well as hewing different agricultural installations and a water reservoir. The remains of three settlement sites were also recorded. The installations are described below (Tables 1, 2):
Table 1. Installations on the southern hill
Installation |
Number |
Site No. (Fig. 1) |
Winepresses |
3 |
1, 5, 49 |
Ashlar-stone quarries |
37 |
2, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14-32, 35-45, 48 |
Farming terrace |
1 |
3 |
Hewn caves |
6 |
6, 7, 9, 13, 33, 46 |
Limekiln |
1 |
34 |
Stone heap |
1 |
47 |
Cup marks |
2 |
50 |
Tether installation |
1 |
51 |
Table 2. Installations on the northern hill
Installation |
Number |
Site No. (Fig. 1) |
Ashlar-stone quarries (scattered across 15 dunams) |
40 |
52, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60, 65-67, 70-73, 75-81, 83-86, 89, 92-98, 101-108 |
Hewn caves |
6 |
53, 56, 64, 69 (see below) |
Farming terrace |
1 |
61 |
Rock-hewn winepress |
1 |
62 |
Limekiln |
1 |
63 |
Water reservoir |
1 |
90/91 (see below) |
Tether installation |
1 |
99 |
Since only a small part of the cave’s chamber was examined in those caves where signs of rock-cutting were detected, it was not possible to determine whether the caves were used for quarrying chalk stones, for dwelling, or for burial. However, in Cave 53, located at the foot of the western slope of the northern hill, signs of quarrying were clearly apparent on the inside walls, which seem to indicate that it was used as an underground olive press. The water reservoir (Nos. 90/91; c. 100 cu m), hewn in the northern slope of the hill, was completely plastered and comprised two cavities (4.0 × 4.5 m and 3.0 × 3.5 m, height c. 3 m). A rock-hewn staircase paved with tesserae led to the northern one. A narrow passage was hewn between the northern and southern cavities and a shaft was cut in the ceiling of the southern cavity for drawing water.
The remains of three settlement sites included sections of walls and heaps of ashlar stones on the surface at the top of the northern hill (No. 59, 68, 74, 82, 87, 88); the collected pottery fragments were dated to the Roman period. Settlement remains (No. 109) from the Hellenistic period, first observed in the survey of the Map of Hanita (Site No. 81.2), extended across an area of c. 2 dunams in the valley, which is planted today with bananas. The third site is a prehistoric settlement (No. 110), also known from the survey of the Map of Hanita (Site No. 80.2). It extends over an area of c. 10 dunams north of the northern hill and south of Nahal Bezet; it was excavated by O. Marder in 2003 (Permit No. A-4010) and was dated to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B-C, Pottery Neolithic and the Early Chalcolithic periods.