Stratum 3 was dated to the Persian period. A floor segment (L21; thickness 3 cm), which consisted of crushed chalk mixed with shells and overlaid a potsherd layer (L24; Fig. 3:1–3), was discovered.

 

Stratum 2 was dated to the end of the Persian and the beginning of the Hellenistic period (Fig. 2). Two perpendicular walls (W14, W19) were uncovered. A plaster floor (L23; thickness 1 cm) abutted W19 on the south; a floor of plaster and shells (L20; thickness c. 0.2 m) abutted W14 on the west. Above the latter floor were the remains of an installation (W18), as well as pottery fragments (Fig. 3:4–7), a figurine head (Fig. 3:8), a spindle whorl (Fig. 3:9), several bronze objects and an autonomous coin from Tyre, dating to the fourth century BCE (IAA 84631; Fig. 4).  

 

Stratum 1 was dated to the Byzantine period. It consisted of a sandy fill layer (L16, L17) that contained jar fragments from the late Byzantine period (Fig. 3:10, 11). The bedding for the floors and columns of the church was placed on top of this fill (L12, L13).