An excavation square (4 × 4 m) was opened on the lower western fringes of Horbat Castra, c. 50 m west of the extensive excavations that had previously been conducted at the site (HA–ESI 113). The excavation area lies at the mouth of Nahal Neder, on a conglomerate layer of wadi pebbles and alluvium that is several meters thick in some places. Ancient remains in the excavation area were severely damaged in the past due to the installation of infrastructures. Several pottery fragments from the Byzantine period and Middle Ages were collected on surface; some fragments of glass vessels that probably date to the Byzantine period were discovered, as well as a flint knife fragment.

 

Two walls (W105, W107) that formed a corner were exposed (Fig. 1). Wall 105 was built of limestone blocks and preserved two courses high (0.7 m). Wall 107 was poorly preserved; its route could be reconstructed on account of several stones that remained in situ. The corner formed by the walls consisted of coarsely dressed limestone blocks (0.3 × 0.3 × 0.3 m). The remains were dated to the end of the Byzantine period based on the large number of pottery fragments, mainly body sherds of jars and cooking pots, which were recovered from the foundation trenches of the walls, as well as below the walls.