During April–May 2007, a salvage excavation was conducted within the declared antiquities site in the village (Permit No. A-5111; map ref. 23489–92/74285–7), prior to construction. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by Mr. F. Dakhle, was directed by A. Masarwa, with the assistance of Y. Ya‘aqobi (administration), V. Essman and V. Pirsky (surveying and drafting), H. Smithline (field photography), G. Cinamon (pottery reading), M. Shuiskaya (pottery drawing) and M. Hartal (scientific guidance).
The site (c. 25 dunams) is located in the northwestern part of the village, at an elevation of c. 260 m above sea level, on a southeastern spur that is bound on the north and south by wadi channels and overlooks the Tur‘an and Bet Rimon Valleys. Building remains that dated to Iron Age I had previously been exposed at the site (‘Atiqot 39:105–111) and it seems that the site was surrounded by a city wall that is visible on the surface as a massive terrace wall; parts of the wall were documented c. 20 northeast of the current excavation area (Permit No. A-4429).
Two squares (A1, A3; Fig. 1) were opened; building remains and a wall dating to Iron Age I were exposed. These were apparently part of the complex that was enclosed within the city wall.
Remains of a city wall were exposed in Square A1 and to the south. The wall was composed of an outer face (W308), preserved seven courses high and an inner face (W311), which was built of dry construction utilizing large fieldstones (0.3×0.4×0.7 m). Both faces of the wall were founded on the bedrock and had a core of a leveled fill (L304), composed of soil and large fieldstones (0.4×0.6×0.7 m). A building whose walls (W310, W312; preserved height 1.6 m) were constructed from various size fieldstones abutted on the inside of W311. These walls were founded on the bedrock and a floor made of firmly tamped earth and small stones (L340) abutted them.
The ceramic finds, overlying the floor and dating to Iron Age I, included bowls (Fig. 2:1, 2), a cooking pot (Fig. 2:5), a cooking jug (Fig. 2:10) and a jar (Fig. 2:11).
Later, an east–west oriented wall (W314; Fig. 3) was built and blocked the entrance to the room; it separated it from another room (L332), whose continuation was beyond the limit of the excavation area.
The ceramic finds from this phase included cooking pots (Fig. 2:3, 4, 6–9), a jar handle (Fig. 2:12) and a lamp (Fig. 2:13), dating to Iron Age I.
A level of pounded soil and small stones that may be the bedding of a floor was exposed above bedrock in Square A3.