In March 2016, a trial excavation was conducted on Jabotinsky Street in Rosh Ha-‘Ayin (Permit No. A-7678; map ref. 196445/666639; Fig. 1), following the discovery of antiquities in preliminary tests prior to development. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by Rosh Ha-‘Ayin Municipality, was directed by V. Shustin, with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), A. Dagot (GPS), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz (field photography), P. Gendelman (scientific consultation) and D. Ben-Ami, A. ‘Azab and G. Itach from the IAA Central District.
The excavation was conducted within the Qurnat Haramiya antiquities site, which lies c. 1.5 km northeast of Migdal Zedeq. Previous excavations at the site revealed settlement remains from the Iron Age and the Persian–Early Hellenistic periods and evidence of agricultural activity from the Byzantine period (Avner-Levy and Torgë 1999; ‘Ad 2007; Tendler 2013; Drezner 2014; Haddad 2011).
The current excavation uncovered two quarries, c. 70 m apart (Fig. 2). The southern quarry (Fig. 3) extended across two sides of a rocky outcrop and was c. 2 m deep on its western side. Chisel marks from stone quarrying and severance channels were identified in the quarry. The quarry’s northern part contained two rectangular stones in advanced extraction stages that had not been detached from the rock (Fig. 4). In the 1960s, the quarry was almost entirely covered with a soil fill to prepare a raised area for a path that crosses it. The northern quarry was smaller (1.5 × 1.5 m) and contained quarrying marks of at least two rectangular stones and channels marking the initial quarrying of a third stone. No diagnostic finds were found. The quarries were probably associated with one of the ancient settlements that once existed in the region.
‘Ad U. 2007. Rosh Ha-‘Ayin, Mizpe Afeq. HA-ESI 119.
Avner-Levy R. and Torgë H. 1999. Rosh Ha-‘Ayin. ESI 19:40*.
Drezner L. 2014. Rosh Ha-‘Ayin, Qurnat Haramiya. HA-ESI 126.
Haddad E. 2011. Rosh Ha-‘Ayin, Mizpe Afeq: Remains of an Agricultural Settlement from the Iron Age to the Hellenistic Period. ‘Atiqot 65:53–63 (Hebrew; English summary, p. 67*).
Tendler A.S. 2013. Rosh Ha-‘Ayin, Qurnat Haramiya. HA-ESI 125.