A layer of hard brown soil was initially removed from the surface, using a backhoe. Below it was a layer of yellow sand, which contained potsherds, shells, animal bones, glass fragments and different size tesserae. The finds appear to have been intentionally crushed and it seems that the layer have served as a roadbed or foundation of a building, which was not preserved. The ceramic finds recovered from this layer included bowls (Fig. 2:1–5), jugs (Fig. 2:6–8) and lamps (Fig. 2:9–13) that dated to the Early Islamic period (eighth–tenth centuries CE). These and particularly the lamps were similar to those discovered in the excavations at the Ramla (South) site. The glass finds dated primarily to the Early Islamic period, although the earliest glass fragment was from the end of the Roman period. The latest pottery in the foundation layer dated from the tenth century CE and therefore, it seems that the road or building that stood above this layer is later than the tenth century CE. It was noted in the square’s southwestern balk that the exposed foundation layer rested on a layer of clean yellow sand, which overlaid hamra.