During February 2007, a development survey was conducted adjacent to Nahal Qidron, east of Arab es-Sukhra (Permit No. A-5114; map ref. NIG 2242–4/6278–84; OIG 1742–4/1278–84), prior to the construction of a wastewater purification facility. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the “Am-Gar” Company, Ltd., was directed by L. Barda, Y. Dagan and I. Pasternak.
The surveyed region is used for cultivation, although the slopes are steep and not easily traversed. Farming terraces and modern buildings are located along the western slope.
Seven sites were surveyed:
Site 1. A field wall built of two rows of medium-sized stones.
Site 2. A rock-hewn cave with a semicircular opening, located at the top of the eastern slope (Fig. 2).
Site 3. A modern structure built of fieldstones (Fig. 3).
Site 4. A wall of a rectangular building, protruding slightly above surface.
Site 5. A straight rock-cutting in bedrock (length c. 3 m).
Site 6. A farming terrace built of medium-sized fieldstones, set atop a course of large stones that is probably an ancient wall (preserved height 1.0–1.5 m; Fig. 4).
Site 7. A winepress hewn in a bedrock terrace. It has a treading floor with round corners and a perforation in its northern side led to a rectangular collecting vat. Midway up the bedrock terrace wall is a square hewn niche (height c. 1.5 m; Fig. 5), possibly intended for additional activity of processing agricultural produce.