During February 2007, a survey preceding development was conducted along the route of Highway 8993, in the region of Horbat Bannay (Permit No. A-5042; NIG 21730–56/77550–70; OIG 16730–56/27550–70), prior to widening the road. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Israel National Roads Company, was directed by Y. Lerer, with the assistance of A. Shapiro (GPS) and E. Stern.
Horbat Bannay had been surveyed in the past (Map of Akhziv [1] and Map of Hanita [2], p. 83*, Site 2.66) and was damaged when the road was paved.
Twenty-eight sites were surveyed (Fig. 1):
Sites 1, 4, 9, 18, 20, 21, 26, 27: Quarries.
Sites 2, 3, 14, 16, 19: Caves
Site 23: Burial cave.
Sites 11, 22: Winepresses.
Site 6: Olive press, a crushing stone.
Site 17: Rock-hewn water reservoir (c. 100 sq m, depth c. 7 m); hewn steps along western side (Fig. 2).
Sites 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 24, 25, 28: Wall sections.
A large quantity of potsherds from the Roman, Byzantine, Crusader and Mamluk periods was found throughout the entire survey area.