In September 2016, an excavation was conducted on Road 119 in Modi‘in, c. 300 m east of Horbat Zekharya (Permit No. A-7797; map ref. 197438–200111/647561–8163; Fig. 1) prior to the widening of the road and following an archaeological survey conducted by D. Shachar. The excavation, undertaken by the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by the Israel Lands Authority, was directed by O. Danziger, with the assistance of D. Shachar (area supervision), Y. Amrani (administration), M. Kahan (surveying), A. Peretz (photography), N. Zak (drafting) and C. Ben-Ari (GPS).
Excavations conducted previously along the route of the road (
Zelinger and Avner 2010 [Fig. 1: A-3317];
Haiman 2013 [Fig. 1: A-6545];
Spivak 2010 [Fig. 1: A-5297]; Permit Nos. A-6023; A-6152; Fig. 1) unearthed a variety of installations such as terraces, quarries, winepresses and cupmarks.
The current excavation was conducted in rocky terrain, where 29 points of archaeological interest were examined.
Rock Surfaces. Eight rock surfaces (average dimensions 7 × 6 m) were found to contain cupmarks (average diam. 0.25 m).
Underground Cavities. Three underground cavities (average diam. 1.4 m)
Natural Caves. Two entrances to natural caves (average entrance width 7.5 m).
Agricultural Terraces. Four retaining walls of agricultural terraces (average length 6.5 m, average width 0.8 m) were preserved to the height of a single course.
Rock-Cuttings. Five square rock cuttings (average dimensions 1.5 × 2.0 m; Fig. 2).
Stone-Clearance Heaps. Three stone-clearance heaps (average circumference 3.3 m) contained small and medium-sized stones.
Cupmarks. Six rock-cut cupmarks (average diam. 0.5 m, depth 0.25 m).
Winepresses. One simple winepress comprising treading floor (L103; 2 × 2 m; Fig. 3) and a collecting vat (L115; 0.5 × 1.0 m, depth 1 m).
One complex winepress comprising a treading floor (L207; 3.4 × 4.0 m; Fig. 4), two collecting vats (L209—0.5 × 0.7 m; L208—1.20 ×1.45 m) and a sump (L218; diam. 0.4 m).
Arcosolium. One arcosolium (L107; 0.8 × 2.1 m, excavated depth 1.6 m; Fig. 5) belonging to a Double-Arcosolia Tomb.
Haiman M. 2013. Horbat Kelah (East). HA-ESI 125.
Zelinger Y. and Avner R. 2010. Modi‘in, Industrial Zone. HA-ESI 122.