The robbers had broken into a subterranean refuge complex at the top of the site. The complex, typical of refuge complexes from the time of the Bar-Kokhba Revolt (Kloner and Tepper 1987:37–75), featured a network of cavities connected by narrow tunnels that could be traversed only by crawling. The complex was found to be infested with Borrelia (cave fever) ticks, and so it was not documented.
Fragments of a stone vessel were discovered inside the complex. After restoration, it was revealed to be a measuring cup (preserved height 14.5 cm, diam. 8 cm; Fig. 1). It is made of limestone, was knife-pared and has a rectangular handle with a round perforation. Additional measuring cup were found at the site in the past, and like the other remains at the site, tell of its Jewish population during the Second Temple period and between the two revolts (Zissu and Bordowicz 2007:272, Pl. 1:10–12). Similar vessels found in and around Jerusalem have been dated from the Second Temple period to the Bar-Kokhba Revolt (Magen 2002:40–46, 97–100).