In April 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted in Moshav Paran (Permit No. A-7105; map ref. 21472/47410), prior to the installation of a water pipe. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Mekorot Company, was directed by G. Seriy, with the assistance of Y. Al-‘Amor (administration), M. Kunin (surveying and drafting), E. Belashov (plans) and D. Yegorov (flint classification).
Five sites were excavated along the northern fringes of Har ‘Eshet, located c. 1.5 km south of Nahal Paran (Fig. 1), revealing remains of buildings (Sites 1 and 4), installations (Sites 2 and 3) and a cairn (Site 5). No datable finds were recovered.
Architectural Remains. Two round structures (Site 1; diam. 1.6 m; Site 4: diam. 1.4 m; Figs. 2–5) built of medium- and large-sized fieldstones placed on sand consisting fragments of natural flint (Site 1—L12; Site 4—L22) were exposed at Sites 1 and 4. A large stone (0.5 × 0.5–0.6 × 0.6–0.7 m) was placed on the northern side of each building; these probably represent standing stones (mazzevot). It seems that the architectural remains served as the foundations of small tents.
Installation Remains. Remains of two installations (L15, L16; Fig. 6) situated c. 1 m apart were exposed at Site 2. Installation 15 was elliptical (c. 0.4 × 1.5 m; Fig. 7) and built of one row of densely arranged medium-sized fieldstones on a layer of sand that contains fragments of natural flint; only the southern part of the installation was preserved. Installation 16 was circular (diam. c. 0.4 m) and constructed of small- and medium-sized fieldstones. Remains of a rectangular installation (L20; c. 0.4 × 1.3 m; Figs. 8, 9) were exposed at Site 3. This installation was also built of medium-sized fieldstones set on a layer of sand that contained fragments of natural flint. The northwestern part of the installation was curved.
Cairn. Remains of an elliptical stone cairn (0.4 × 1.2 × 2.0 m; Fig. 10) were exposed at Site 5. The removal of stones from its upper part exposed it base, built of several medium-sized fieldstones arranged in a curved outline (L25; Fig. 11). These stones were also set on sand containing fragments of natural flint.