In January–February 2018, a salvage excavation was conducted at Khirbat Burnaṭ in the Ḥevel Modi‘in industrial zone, east of Shoham (Permit No. A-8198; map ref. 196100–470/656893–7579; Fig. 1), prior to construction. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by the Hevel Modi‘in Economic Development Company, was directed by O. Danziger, with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), O. Drori (area supervision), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz (field photography), L. Rauchberger (clay pipes), A. ‘Azab and G. Itach. Y. Agmon and S. Krispin carried out preliminary inspection at the site.
In the past, remains of structures and agricultural installation were uncovered at the site, dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Byzantine period (Kogan-Zehavi 2017), as well as remains of a settlement from the Chalcolithic period, which included dwelling caves and rock-cut installations that yielded impressive copper artefacts (Sheftelowitz 2003).
The excavation exposed six agricultural terraces (length 2.3–66.5 m, width 0.4–0.5 m; Fig. 2), six rock-cut cupmarks (diam. 0.3–1.7 m, depth 0.10–0.35 m), a stone clearance heap (diam. 26 m) and five quarries (Table 1; Figs. 3–5). A natural cave (Fig. 6) yielded a clay-pipe fragment (below). Over the cave, an animal pen was found (Fig. 7), bounded by three walls (the southern wall was not preserved, and with a wide (5 m) opening.
Table 1. Quarries
No.
|
Dimensions (m)
|
Size of stones (m)
|
Illustration
|
1
|
2.2 × 2.6
|
0.50 × 0.85
|
Fig. 3
|
2
|
1.8 × 3.1
|
0.4 × 0.9
|
|
3
|
6.0 × 12.9
|
0.4 × 1.2, 0.5 × 0.8, 0.45 × 0.65
|
|
4
|
5.8 × 6.4
|
0.5 × 1.0, 0.4 × 1.45, 0.35 ×1.80
|
Fig. 4
|
5
|
5.8 × 6.4
|
0.85 × 2.10, 0.45 × 1.10
|
Fig. 5
|
Clay pipe
Lior Rauchberger
In the cave, a fragment of a tobacco-smoking pipe was found (chibuk; 1.3 cm diam. of stem opening), mold-made in two parts: a bowl and a stem that were joined. The bowl is spherical, decorated with a horizontal band of rouletting in a grid pattern under the rim, which was not preserved. The stem is short, with a simple reinforcing ring of triangular section. The stem continues under the bowl as a keel, decorated with two rouletting bands in a grid pattern that create a V-shape, bounded by a double incised line. A small ridge within the bowl prevented tobacco leaves from clogging the stem. The stem preserves marks of the joining of the two separately molded parts. The pipe is of a common type, classified by M. Avissar based on assemblages found at Tel Yoqne‘am and dated to the second half of the eighteenth century CE (Avissar 1996:199–200, Photos XVI.10–14; 2005:83–88, 93, Fig. 4.1:4–9, Fig. 4.2, Type 2).
Avissar M. 1996. The Clay Tobacco Pipes. In A. Ben-Tor, M. Avissar and Y. Portugali. Yoqne‘am I: The Late Periods (Qedem Reports 3). Jerusalem. Pp. 198–201.
Avissar M. 2005. The Clay Tobacco Pipes. In M. Avissar. Tel Yoqnea‘am: Excavations on the Acropolis (IAA Reports 25). Jerusalem. Pp. 83–93.
Sheftelowitz N. 2003. Giv‘at Ha-Oranim: A Chalcolithic site in the Lod Shephela. Qadmoniot 126:89–93 (Hebrew).