During May 2005 a trial excavation was conducted in the eastern part of Gan Yavne prior to development (Permit No. A-4469*; map ref. NIG 17232–4/63162–4; OIG 12232–4/13162–4). The excavation, on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, was directed by H. Torge, assisted by A. Bachar (administration), A. Hajian (surveying) and M. Shuiskaya-Arnov (find drawing).
The site had previously been excavated by Y. Rand (1995), R. Avner (1998; HA-ESI 111:60*), Y. Gadot (License No. B-150/1998), I. Gonen (License No. B-124/1999), E.C.M. van den Brink (1998; HA 112:100*), Y. Dagan (2002; Permit Nos. A-3651; A-3680) and O. Sion (2004; A-4184).
An excavation square, revealing a wall (W1) oriented north–south, was opened. It was built of kurkar stones without bonding material and was preserved a single course high. The southern end of the wall was severed by a modern pit and its northern end continued beyond the limits of the section (Fig. 1). A floor bedding (L101) of small dense kurkar stones abutted the western side of W1 northern end. Alongside Floor bedding 101 were small stones, arranged in a row on their narrow side (W2), forming an installation whose purpose is unclear. The installation and the floor were damaged by modern digging. A lead balance weight (Fig. 2:6) was discovered on the floor within the installation. Potsherds dating to the Byzantine period, including a bowl (Fig. 2:1), a baggy-shaped jar (Fig. 2:2), a Gaza jar (Fig. 2:3), a jar handle (Fig. 2:4) and an iron nail (Fig. 2:5), were discovered.
The excavation of van den Brink, just to the north, revealed an industrial area that dated to the Byzantine period and included numerous installations. It seems that the wall and floor with the installation in the present excavation were part of this complex.