During November 2011, a survey was conducted in the ‘Arava along Highway 90, in the section between Km 125 and Km 153 (License No. S-314/2011; map ref. 224206–6770/524276–36813), prior to widening the road. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Department of Public Works, was carried out by Y. Haimi (field photography) and S. Talis, with the assistance of S. Gal (GPS).
The survey was performed on foot between Ha-‘Arava and ‘En Hazeva Junctions and five sites were documented (1–5; Fig. 1). Several declared antiquities sites are located in the survey area. Remains of an encampment, scattered potsherds from the Byzantine period, hearth remains, stone concentrations, tombs, stone heaps and a square tomb were documented at the site ‘Nahal Bitron’. Remains of a charcoal industry were documented at the site ‘Nahal Amazyahu’. A cist tomb and an open building were documented at the site ‘Nahal Aviyya’.
1. Map ref. 229182/543368. A cluster of four modern tombs (1×2 m; Fig. 2).
2. Map ref. 228993/542040. A stone heap (diam. c. 1 m), possibly an installation.
3. Map ref. 225562/535158. Several round structures located in an encampment site (c. 300 sq m; Fig. 3).
4. Map ref. 223492/524978. A stone heap (diam. c. 1 m; Fig. 4), possibly an installation.
5. Map ref. 230014/544235. Several round structures located in an encampment site (c. 700 sq m; Fig. 5).