During July 2000 burial remains were discovered and documented at the southeastern foot of Tel Avel Bet Ma‘akha (map ref. NIG 25461/79558; OIG 20461/29558) while digging a trench for the placement of a water pipe by Mekorot. The remains were recorded, on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, by E. Damati and Y. Stepansky, assisted by H. Tahan (pottery drawing).
In the western section of the trench that was cut in the kirton bedrock, a group of broken pottery vessels was discovered, including a flat bowl (Fig. 1:1), a deep bowl (Fig. 1:2), carinated bowls (Fig. 1:3, 4) one of which has a trumpet base, the upper part of a juglet (Fig. 1:6) and the lower part of a large jar (Fig. 1:7) that contained an intact cylindrical juglet (Fig. 1:5). The vessels date to Middle Bronze Age II and their concentration is indicative of a burial in this spot. Bones were not discovered and it is apparent that the place was damaged in the past.
Twenty meters to the south, further along the section of the trench a bedrock-hewn hollow (1 × 1 m) was discovered. It contained a soil fill with a few pottery fragments from Middle Bronze Age II and some scattered bones. The hollow and its contents may imply the existence of a cave in the western section of the trench.