Area F1. On the western limits of the hill, between two agricultural terraces, two walls were discovered (W3, W4; Fig. 1). Wall 4 was constructed from large fieldstones that were carelessly laid, one beside the other. The southern side of the stones was placed on the bare bedrock (L16); the northern side was set upon a depression in bedrock (L17) that was filled with small and middle-sized field stones. Wall 3 consisted of two rows of stones. The western row was of large fieldstones with spaces of up to 0.3 m between them. The eastern row included middle-sized, dressed stones that were laid precisely one beside the other. The southern part of the wall was leaning onto the elevated bedrock and the northern part rested on a fill of small and middle-sized fieldstones (L18). A few worn potsherds from the Byzantine period were found.

 

Area F2. Two excavation squares were opened within a natural cave (Fig. 2). One square was on the edge of the entrance to the west, partly under the cave’s roof. A thick, dark gray-colored layer (L12; thickness c. 0.5 m) was discovered beneath surface, overlaying another layer of light soil (c. 0.8 m) that rested on the natural bedrock. The two layers contained middle-sized stones that had been scattered or heaped up. The second square, in the center of the court that fronted the cave, extended to the eastern edge of the cave. The square revealed a thin layer of ash that contained small burnt stones, which superposed a wide wall (W5) built of three rows of middle-sized stones. The two exterior rows were built in an orderly fashion, whereas the middle row was the core. To the north of W5, signs of burning were visible upon bedrock, apparently due to the activity of a limekiln or a charcoal kiln. Bedrock was elevated to the south of the wall and overlaid with reddish soil (L14), which contained a few worn potsherds from the Byzantine period.

 

Area F3. An excavation square was opened in the corner of two agricultural terraces (W1, W2; Fig. 3). Wall 1 was constructed from large fieldstones. The eastern side of the stones rested on elevated bedrock and the western side, upon a fill of small stones that was intended to even out bedrock at this point. The northern side of the wall had thee rows of fieldstones and the southern side––a single row. Wall 2 was built of large fieldstones with small spaces between them. The reddish soil (L11) between the two walls contained a few worn potsherds from the Byzantine period.

 

Area F4. To the northwest of the cave was a cyst tomb, carefully hewn on its northern side, though carelessly cut on its other sides, causing its shape to be distorted. The tomb was partially excavated down to the point where human bones appeared.