During May 2002, an excavation was conducted west of the Zur Natan settlement (Permit No. A-3639*; map ref. NIG 1995–2004/6827–34; OIG 1495–504/1827–34), prior to the construction of a new residential neighborhood. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, was directed by O. Sion, M. Haiman and B.A. Artzi, with the assistance of A. Hajian (surveying), Y. Dangor (administration), T. Sagiv (field photography), A. Onn (ceramic finds) and I. Pikovski (pottery drawing).
The excavation area is located on the fringes of western Samaria and extends across an area of 0.6 × 1.0 km. The region was surveyed in the past (E. Ayalon, A. Kidron and Y. Sharvit. Groups of Installations in the Fields of Zur Natan in the Roman-Byzantine Period. Israel – People and Land, Annual of the Eretz Israel Museum [Avitzur Volume], Tel Aviv, V-VI [23-24], 1988-89, pp. 93–120).
Numerous installations and tombs were found (Fig. 1), of which seventy-five tombs, burial caves, winepresses, quarries, field towers, olive presses, cisterns, limekilns, cupmarks and stone clearance heaps were excavated.
Burial Caves. Only the courtyards and facades of five burial caves (Fig. 1:7, 8, 26, 35, 36; Table 1) were partly excavated. The caves had an open courtyard with rock-hewn steps across it. The entrance was arched and often sealed with a rolling stone. The dimensions and shapes of the burial chambers varied; some were hewn in natural caves. Kokhim were noted in a few caves and fragments of sarcophagi were recovered from one cave. In the southern part of the area, a bedrock-hewn cist tomb (Fig. 1:70), which was covered with a flat stone slab that fitted its dimensions, was found.
Table 1. Burial Caves (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Courtyard |
Burial Chamber |
Comments |
Length |
Width |
Length |
Width |
7 |
- |
3.2 |
2.5 |
Cave is plastered; cistern in secondary use. |
8 (Figs. 2, 3) |
5.9 |
3.3 |
4.0 |
3.2 |
Rolling stone located in entrance of cave; cistern located in eastern wall, in secondary use. |
26 |
3.2 |
1.6 |
6.5 |
4.2 |
- |
35 |
9.2 |
5.3 |
8.6 |
7.0 |
Remains of 11 kokhim preserved in walls of burial chamber; fragments of two sarcophagi in center of chamber. |
36 (Figs. 4, 5) |
3.6 |
2.7 |
- |
- |
Groove of rolling stone in opening of cave. |
70 (Figs. 6, 7) |
Rock-hewn cist tomb (1.1 × 2.2) |
A hewn stone that covered the tomb was found near the opening. |
Caves. With the exception of one cave, all caves (Table 2) were located in the northern part of the area, along both banks of a local stream (Fig. 1:43). The caves were natural and some of them had rock-cut facades.
Table 2. Caves (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Length |
Width |
Height |
Comments |
18 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Cave at bottom of wadi channel, fronted by hewn courtyard (1.5 × 6.0) and devoid of finds.
|
22 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
Devoid of finds. |
24 |
2 |
1.5 |
1 |
Several bones in front of cave apparently brought by animals. |
43 |
15 |
7 |
1.8 |
Hewn courtyard (3.7 × 8.0) in front, devoid of finds. |
100 |
2.5 |
2 |
2.3 |
Arched ceiling, devoid of finds. |
101 |
4 |
2.1 |
2 |
Early Bronze Age potsherds at front of cave. |
102 |
4 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
Early Bronze Age potsherds at front of cave. |
Winepresses. The winepresses scattered throughout the excavated area were of two types, namely a small winepresses that consisted of a small treading floor (up to 4 sq m) and a small collecting vat and a large winepress that had a large treading floor (up to 16 sq m), a collecting vat and a settling vat.
Table 3. Winepresses (all measurements in meters)
Small Winepresses (up to 2 m)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Treading Floor |
Collecting Vat |
Comments |
Length |
Width |
Depth |
Length |
Width |
Depth |
25 (Figs. 8, 9) |
1.5 |
1.5 |
0.4 |
1.2 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
|
28 (Figs. 10, 11) |
Elliptical 1.5 × 2.1; depth 0.05 |
Elliptical 0.6 × 0.9; depth 1.05 |
|
32 |
1.05 |
1 |
0.2 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
Settling pit (diam. 0.3) in corner of collecting vat. |
34 (Figs. 12, 13) |
Diam. 1.1 |
0.2 |
Diam. 0.7 |
|
40 |
1.5 |
1.85 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
1.05 |
0.5 |
|
Large Winepresses
No. in Fig. 1 |
Treading Floor |
Collecting Vat |
Comments |
22A |
3.5 |
2.5 |
0.6 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
2 |
Hewn, stepped settling pit (diam. 0.4) in center of collecting vat. |
31 |
2.2 |
1.7 |
0.7 |
1.4 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
- |
42 (Figs. 14, 15) |
4.05 |
3 |
0.7 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
Hewn settling pit (diam. 0.4) in center of collecting vat. |
48 |
2.1 |
2 |
0.4 |
2.1 |
2.15 |
1.2 |
Hewn settling pit (0.4 × 0.4) in center of collecting vat. |
52 |
3 |
2.6 |
0.5 |
1.43 |
1 |
1 |
Hewn settling pit (diam. 0.4) in center of collecting vat. |
57 |
2.7 |
2 |
2 |
Elliptical 2.0 × 2.7 |
1.1 |
|
59A (Figs. 16, 17) |
4 |
3.9 |
0.4 |
2.1 |
1.6 |
1.1 |
Hewn settling pit (0.4 × 0.4) in center of collecting vat. |
68 (Figs. 18, 19) |
2.5 |
2.5 |
0.2 |
1.2 |
1. |
1.1 |
Hewn settling pit and step (0.4 × 0.4) in center of collecting vat. |
69 |
3.7 |
3.6 |
0.3 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
1.3 |
Hewn settling pit (diam. 0.4) paved with a mosaic in center of collecting vat. |
86 (Figs. 20, 21) |
2.1
4.1
|
1.75
3.9
|
0.4 |
0.8 |
1.7 |
1.55 |
Two treading floors, a settling vat (diam. 0.3) and rock-cut steps. |
Quarries. The quarries in the area (Table 4) were of the small ‘courtyard’ type; tomb courtyards and winepresses were also quarried for masonry stones. The quarrying was done by hewn severance channels around and below the stones.
Table 4. Quarries (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Length |
Width |
Height |
5 |
2.5 |
2 |
0.3 |
10 |
3.5 |
2.4 |
0.3 |
17 |
4.5
4.4
|
2.7
3
|
0.4 |
29 |
5.3 |
3.2 |
2 |
35A |
2.5 |
0.9 |
0.6 |
37 |
3 |
2.3 |
0.6 |
39 |
3.4 |
1.7 |
0.7 |
53 |
2.4 |
1.5 |
0.3 |
Field Towers. Four field towers (Table 5) that were partly preserved to a single course high were excavated. It was impossible to reconstruct the dimensions of two of the towers. The towers were dispersed throughout the area and in most cases, were located in places that had a commanding view over the surroundings.
Table 5. Field Towers (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Length |
Width |
Comments |
2 (Figs. 22, 23) |
4.5 |
4 |
Only eastern part of tower was preserved a single course high; it is dated to the Byzantine period |
45 |
1.75 (western wall) |
1.5 (southern wall) |
Small tower, southwestern corner was preserved; dated to the Byzantine period |
49 (Fig. 24) |
- |
- |
Remains of ruinous tower |
59 |
- |
- |
Built on bedrock surface. Tower’s outer casing stones found scattered nearby; dated to the Byzantine period |
Open? Olive Presses/Grist Mill. Three installations (Table 6) were found. Only the crushing basin was preserved in all three and a round hewn walking track for a person or an animal.
Table 6. Open Olive Presses/Grist Mill (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Diam. of Crushing Basin |
Comments |
6 (Figs. 25, 26) |
2.25 |
- |
27 (Figs. 27, 28) |
1.9 |
Basing is partially preserved |
71 (Fig. 29) |
2.25 |
Two small cupmarks next to basin, diams. 0.25 and 0.50, depth 0.35 |
Cisterns. The cisterns were mostly bell-shaped (max. diam. 6.5 m; Table 7), as well as triangular or rectangular shaped. The sides were coated with plaster and at the top of the cistern was a round aperture for the drawing of water (diam. 1.0–1.5 m).
Table 7. Cisterns (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Diameter |
Depth |
Comments |
11 |
c. 1 |
1.3 |
Bell-shaped cistern |
33 |
5 |
3.5 |
Bell-shaped cistern |
44 |
c. 1.7;
c. 1.4
|
2.3 |
Bell-shaped cistern; cistern was divided in two; plaster remains on side |
46 |
1.8 |
1 |
Triangular cross-section |
47 |
1.6 |
1 |
Rectangular cross-section |
54 |
c. 1.5 |
2 |
Bell-shaped cistern; remains of gray plaster and rock-cut footrests hewn in side of cistern |
55 |
c. 1.5 |
0.5 |
Bell-shaped cistern filled with stones |
83 |
6.5 |
3 |
Bell-shaped cistern; several plaster layers |
Limekilns. The kilns were located in a wadi channel, in the northern part of the excavation area (Table 8).
Table 8. Limekilns (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Outer Diam. |
Depth |
Comments |
19 (Figs. 30, 31) |
5.5 |
1.7 |
|
30 (Figs. 32, 33) |
5 |
1.5 |
Double outer wall, overall thickness 1.5, devoid of finds |
Cupmarks. These were found in a variety of sizes (diam. 0.1–0.8 m, depth 0.05–0.30 m; Table 9). Cupmarks and depressions that were located next to winepresses are not presented below.
Table 9. Cupmarks (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Diameter |
Depth |
Comments |
17 (Figs. 34,35) |
0.8 |
0.1 |
Two cupmarks hewn in single bedrock surface |
17A |
0.75 |
0.25 |
29A (Fig. 36) |
0.45 |
0.25 |
|
41 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
0.6 long border hewn south and east of cupmark |
60
60A
60B
60C
60D
|
0.12
0.28
0.12
0.34
0.30
|
0.05
0.05
0.04
0.05
0.10
|
Five small cupmarks hewn in single bedrock surface |
62 |
0.28 |
0.3 |
|
63 |
0.35 |
0.2 |
|
Stone Clearance Heaps. These were mostly located in leveled areas (Table 10). Several of the clearance heaps were found enclosed within a perimeter of large stones that prevented the scattering of stones.
Table 10. Stone Clearance Heaps (all measurements in meters)
No. in Fig. 1 |
Length |
Width |
Height |
9 (Figs. 37, 38) |
11 |
9.5 |
1 |
16 |
10 |
7 |
0.4 |
51 |
8 |
7 |
0.5 |
56 |
5 |
4 |
0.5 |
61 |
11 |
1.5 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
8.5 |
1.2 |
58 |
5 |
4 |
0.5 |
64 |
20.5 |
13.5 |
1 |
65 |
17.5 |
14 |
1 |
66 |
12 |
10 |
1.2 |
67 (Figs. 39, 40) |
14.5 |
12 |
1 |
84 |
12.5 |
12.5 |
1 |
Ancient Road. Mechanical equipment was used to dig a trial probe (width 5.5 m) in order to evaluate the paving of an ancient road (Fig. 1:38) that crossed the excavation area from east to west. It seems that the southern part of the area, facing the top of the slope, was made level by means of small rock-cuttings. A retaining wall of stones (up to 1 m long) that stood three courses high was located along the northern side of the road facing the descent. The roadbed (max. thickness 0.5 m) consisted of small stones that were deposited on natural bedrock. The road pavement was composed of tamped earth and a few small stones.
The survey and the excavation of the installations show a recurring model that consists of eight groups of installations (Fig. 1:A–H), each includes winepresses, olive press/grist mill, a burial cave, field tower, cistern and quarry. This format of installations is indicative of family farms that were probably associated with the adjacent site of Khirbat Majdal and the multitude of winepresses attests to the importance of wine production in this region (Israel – People and Land V-VI [23-24], 1988-89, p. 115).
Most of the activity in the excavation area can be dated primarily to the Roman and Byzantine periods, based on the ceramic finds that included bowls (Fig. 41:1, 2), cooking vessels (Fig. 41:3–6) and jars (Fig. 41:7–12), with the exception of two caves (Fig. 1:101, 102) that contained pottery fragments that dated to the Early Bronze Age. The dating is further emphasized by the types of installations, namely complex winepresses, kokhim burials, crushing basins of olive presses/grist millsthat were common to the Roman and Byzantine periods when the settlement of Khirbat Majdal was at the height of its prosperity.