During November 2005 a development survey was conducted northeast of Avital Junction in the Golan Heights (Permit No. A- 4596*; map ref. NIG 27330–90/77725–95; OIG 22330–90/27725–95), prior to the allocation of land for orchards in Moshav Keshet. The survey, carried out on behalf of the Antiquities Authority and financed by Moshav Keshet, was performed by O. Zingboym and A. Shapiro.
The survey was conducted in a field of dolmens on the lower, southwestern slopes of Har Avital. Eleven sites with ancient finds, mostly dolmens, were documented (Fig. 1). More dolmens were recorded on the higher eastern part of the surveyed area than in the western part, which was moderate and possibly used for agriculture. If dolmens were built there, they were destroyed in the wake of farming activity. Following is a list of the sites.
(1) Two adjacent dolmens. The northern dolmen was very large (diam. 15 m, height 2.5 m) and a burial cell was visible in the southern dolmen.
(2) A destroyed dolmen (diam. 4 m) delimited by a circle of stones. It appears to have been plundered in the past.
(3) A stone heap, possibly a dolmen.
(4) A stone heap (length 4 m), possibly the ruins of walls or a dolmen.
(5) A few fragments of pottery vessels scattered on the ground in an area used for farming.
(6) Two small piles of stones adjacent to each other, possibly stone clearance heaps in an agricultural area.
(7) A large heap of stones (diam. 15 m), possibly a dolmen.
(8) A large ruinous dolmen (diam. 15 m), delimited by a circle of stones.
(9) A robbed dolmen with a burial cell, surmounted by a covering stone.
(10) A ruinous dolmen, delimited by a circle of stones. It seems that one of the stones was used to cover the burial cell.
(11) A large heap (diam. 12 m) of medium-sized fieldstones, possibly a dolmen.