Area A: Oil Press (Figs. 3, 4). A crushing basin and the tops of walls were visible on the surface in an area that was probably on the northeastern fringes of the settlement’s built-up area. The oil press was cleaned; it seems that the crushing stone (diam. 1.8 m) remained in situ. It was surrounded by walls (W1–W6) built of undressed basalt stones, some consisting of one row of stones, and others—of two. Due to the limited extent of the excavation, the plan of the building is not clear, but W1 and W2 probably form its southwest corner. The pottery dates from the fourth–sixth centuries CE.
 

Area B: A Building (Figs. 5, 6). Prior to the excavation, the tops of two walls were visible on the surface (W1, W2). The walls, built of roughly dressed basalt stones, formed the corner of a building. The excavation unearthed two additional walls (W3, W4) that ran parallel to them. These seem to belong to a later construction phase, as they served to buttress Walls 1 and 2; the space between the two sets of walls was filled with small stones. This created a corner of a massive structure whose walls are visible for c. 25 m beyond the excavation area (Fig. 6). A small section of the building was excavated in its northeast corner, which was slightly raised above the surrounding area. The nature of two wall stumps (W5, W6), also visible on the surface, could not be determined. It is unclear when the building was constructed, but based on its location, size and construction style, it was probably a public building.

 

The excavation cleaned and made a start on unearthing an oil press and the remains of a public building, which existed at the site in addition to the previously excavated synagogue. The massive structure and the rich finds found at the site in the past attest to the strength of the Jewish settlement that thrived here until the beginning of the seventh century CE.