The antiquities identified in the ruin included finds from the Second Temple period (first century BCE–first century CE), an olive press and hiding refuges from the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt (second century CE), as well as finds dating to the Byzantine period (fourth–sixth century CE). The ancient strata are overlain with the remains of an Arab village from the Ottoman period and the British Mandate era (sixteenth–twentieth centuries CE). Some of the sites were identified as ancient or built on the remains of ancient structures.
 
Sites within the Horbat Za‘aq precincts:
1 (Map ref. 187520/591171). A cave dwelling with an opening that is built of fieldstones; a wall of dry fieldstone construction was noted inside the cave.
2 (Map ref. 187531/591156). A rectangular structure (length 30 m, width 15 m) built of dry fieldstone construction; it is located on the southern slope of the northern hill, c. 200 m south of the ruin.
3 (Map ref. 187413/591162). A natural cave devoid of any ancient remains.
4 (Map ref. 187408/591166). A natural cave devoid of any ancient remains.
5 (Map ref. 187316/591164). A natural cave with a rock-hewn opening (0.5×0.6 m); no ancient remains were found.
6 (Map ref. 187317/591133). A cave dwelling with a rock-hewn opening.
7 (Map ref. 187244/591026). A rock-hewn cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.6 m) and filled with alluvium.
8 (Map ref. 187240/591012). A cave dwelling with a rock-hewn opening.
9 (Map ref. 187322/591014). A well (diam. c. 10 m) with straight sides that are built of ashlars.
10 (Map ref. (187595/591236). A rectangular, rock-cut pressing installation that consists of a treading floor (0.6×0.8 m, depth 0.2 m) and a collecting vat (diam. 0.4 m).
11 (Map ref. 187316/591164). A natural cave with a rock-hewn opening (1×2 m); no ancient remains were found.
12 (Map ref. 187633/591245). A courtyard surrounded by a low fence built of fieldstones without mortar. The courtyard led to a cave dwelling.
13 (Map ref. 187649/591234). A cave dwelling, whose front is built of dressed stones.
14 (Map ref. 187671/591269). A rock-hewn cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.5 m).
15 (Map ref. 187638/591313). A cave dwelling; wall remains built of dry fieldstone construction were noted inside the cave. 
16 (Map ref. 187640/591325). A cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.6 m).
17 (Map ref. 187649/591347). A cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.6 m).
18 (Map ref. 187619/591295). A courtyard surrounded by a fence built of large fieldstones. The courtyard led to a cave dwelling, whose front is built of dressed stones.
19 (Map ref. 187587/591335). A courtyard surrounded by a fence built of large fieldstones. The courtyard led to a cave dwelling, whose front is built of dressed stones.
20 (Map ref. 187597/591341). An ashlar-built structure with a plaster floor.
21 (Map ref. 187616/591382). An olive press in a natural cave with a courtyard. A rock-hewn staircase led to the olive press. Weights and a circular basin (yam) for crushing olives were found in the cave. An entrance to a hiding refuge was identified in the northern side of the cave.
22 (Map ref. 187627/591383). A cistern located in the courtyard of a cave dwelling. The cistern’s opening is round (diam. 0.5 m) and built of dressed stones.
23 (Map ref. 187571/591408). A cave dwelling, whose front is built of dressed stones.
24 (Map ref. 187549/591423). A rectangular two-room building, with three arches built above it. The walls of the building (preserved height c. 2 m) have recessed niches, probably wall closets, and blocked windows.
25 (Map ref. 187544/591419). A cistern (diam. 0.5 m) whose opening is covered with a capstone that has hole in its center.
26 (Map ref. 187536/591401). A cistern (diam. 0.5 m) whose opening is covered with a capstone that has a hole in its center; a trough hewn in a large stone was located next to the opening.
27 (Map ref. 187531/591394). A cistern with an opening built of dressed stones (diam. 0.5 m).
28 (Map ref. 187511/591409). A building that has an arch built width-wise across it.
29 (Map ref. 187505/591419). The ‘mukhtar’s house’. A building with a cross-vault in the center of the ceiling, built of small fieldstones bonded with mortar.
30 (Map ref. 187496/591437). A staircase leading to a cave dwelling, in which fieldstone-built walls are located. An entrance to a hiding refuge was identified in the southern side of the cave.
31 (Map ref. 187483/591465). A cave dwelling, whose front is built of ashlars.
32 (Map ref. 187417/591496). A cave dwelling, whose front is built of ashlars.
33 (Map ref. 187403/591526). A cave dwelling, whose front is built of ashlars.
34 (Map ref. 187433/591579). A cave dwelling, whose front is built of ashlars.
35 (Map ref. 187368/591652). A well with straight sides built of ashlars (diam. c. 10 m).
36 (Map ref. 187417/591559). A rock-hewn cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.5 m).
37 (Map ref. 187423/591549). A rock-hewn cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.5 m).
38 (Map ref. 187448/591485). A cistern with an opening built of dressed stones (height 0.6 m).
39 (Map ref. 187475/591494). A rock-hewn cistern with a round opening (diam. 0.5 m).
 
Sites located outside of Horbat Za‘aq:
40 (Map ref. 188427/590078). Corner of a building constructed from large stone slabs (1.0–1.5 m) embedded in the ground.
41 (Map ref. 188434/590130). A stone clearance heap (diam. 3 m) built of small stones (0.1–0.2 m).
42 (Map ref. 188263/590335). A wall (length 4 m) built of small stones (0.2 m).
43 (Map ref. 188255/590366). A square watchman’s hut (4×4 m) built of undressed fieldstones.
44 (Map ref. 188143/ 590610). A stone clearance heap (diam. 4 m) built of small stones (0.1–0.2 m).
45 (Map ref. 188129/590197). A building (2×3 m) founded on an earthen platform retained by a wall built of large fieldstones (1 m).
46 (Map ref. 188198/590089). A massive wall on a hilltop, built of undressed fieldstones arranged in two rows of large stones (1.0–1.5 m) and a core of small stone fill.
47 (Map ref. 188224/590097). A wall built of one row of large stones (1.0–1.5 m), parallel to Wall 46.
48 (Map ref. 188475/589695). A farming terrace built of large undressed fieldstones (1 m).
49 (Map ref. 188448/589634). A stone clearance heap (diam. 4 m) built of small stones (0.1–0.2 m).
50 (Map ref. 188496/589589). A farming terrace built of large undressed fieldstones (1 m).
51 (Map ref. 188456/589269). A natural cave that has several openings from different directions; no ancient remains were discovered in the cave.
52 (Map ref. 188469/589274). A stone clearance heap (diam. 5 m) built of small stones (0.1–0.2 m).
53 (Map ref. 188154/589602). A round structure (diam. 6 m) built of fieldstones (1 m) in one row.
54 (Map ref. 187897/590315). A farming terrace built of large undressed fieldstones (1 m).
55 (Map ref. 187878/590548). A stone heap (length 40 m, width 1.5 m) built of small fieldstones (0.2–0.3 m) on a low hilltop.
55 (Map ref. 187878/590548). A stone heap (length 40 m, width 1.5 m) built of small fieldstones (0.2–0.3 m) on a low hilltop.
 
 

 
Goren Y. and Fabian P. 1988. Horbat Za‘aq – A Rural Settlement and Hiding Refuge from the Roman and Byzantine Periods. In D. Urman and E. Stern, eds. Man and Environment in the Southern Shephelah: Studies in Regional Geography and History. Giv‘atayim. Pp. 163–174 (Hebrew).