In June 2015, a salvage excavation was conducted at 18–20 Herbert Samuel Street in Tel Aviv (Permit No. A-7434; map ref. 177836–908/664099–150; Fig. 1), prior to construction. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by S. Taubenblatt of the Ligota Company, was directed by D. Abu-Salah (field photography), with the assistance of E. Bachar (administration), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz (field photography), C. Ben-Ari (preliminary inspections and GPS), L. Rauchberger (preliminary inspections and consultation), Y. Marmelstein (aerial photography), A. Glick (ammunition), A. Gorzalczany (scientific guidance), S. Widrich and Y. Arbel (consultation) and A. Dagot, D. Golan, D. Barkan and M. Ajami.
The remains include two walls (W102, W105) forming a northeastern corner of a building. The walls were founded on beach sand and constructed of kurkar ashlars bonded with white plaster mixed with crushed shells and hamra. Clusters of medium-sized fieldstones bonded with hamra (debesh) were set on top of the ashlars. Wall 105 survived to a height of five courses; an opening (width 0.75 m; Fig. 5), probably the entrance to the building, was set in this wall. Collapsed Ashlars were found in the opening; one of the stones, possibly a socket, had a hewn slot. Wall 102 (Fig. 6) survived to a height of five courses. Collapsed stones (L106) were found near its southwestern end. The finds were meager, comprising several pottery sherds, among them a rim fragment of a locally produced jar made of brown clay that dates to the time of the British Mandate, as well as a .303 rifle cartridge, which was used in most of the British light weapons during First World War.
The excavated walls were apparently remains of a cellar.
A perusal of the maps from the time of the British Mandate (Sheinfeld 1923; Jaffa-Tel Aviv [map]) shows that a large building stood in the area, housing two factories, one for candles and soaps, and one for aluminum. The cellar may have been used by one of them.
Buchennino A. 2011. Tel Aviv, Manshiya. HA-ESI 123.
Jaffa – Tel Aviv (map), 1:1,250. Survey of Palestine. Sheet 125–160. 1936.
Sheinfeld Y. 1923. Tel Aviv and Its Environs. Tel Aviv.