Stratum 1

Parts of four rooms (Loci 105–107, 112, 113; Figs. 1, 2) were exposed. The wall foundations (width 0.5–1.1 m; height 0.15–0.80 m), mostly preserved to one or two courses high, were built of various sized fieldstones. Walls 14 and 15 were preserved six to eight courses high. The floors of the rooms, apparently at a higher level, were destroyed by modern disturbances. The fill in the rooms consisted of soft loess with some traces of layered alluvium, implying that prior to the building’s construction a wadi crossed the area.

 

Stratum 2

An unlined pit (L111; diam. 1.5 m, depth 1.2 m) was discovered below the foundations of the building from Stratum 1. It was dug into the loess and dated to Iron II.

A few fragments of pottery vessels, including bowls, cooking kraters, jugs, lids and jars (not drawn), were found in the rooms of Stratum 1, dating to the sixth century CE.

The ceramic finds from Stratum 2 were pottery fragments from Iron II (end of ninth and eighth centuries BCE), including bowls (Fig. 3:1–7), a krater (Fig. 3:8), a jug (Fig. 3:9), jars (Fig. 3:10, 11), one of which resembles a lmlk jar (11) and holemouth jars (Fig. 3:12, 13). Iron II potsherds were also found in three loci of Stratum 1 (108, 112, 113).