In August 2015, a salvage excavation was conducted at Nein (Permit No. A-7479; map ref. 232972–3022/726479–504), after antiquities were discovered during an inspection prior to the construction of a residential building. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, was directed by O. Zidan (photography), with the assistance of Y. Ya‘aqobi (administration), R. Liran (surveying and drafting), H. Tahan-Rosen (pottery drawing) and laborers from Kafr Manda.
The excavation (25 sq m) was carried out in the northern part of the village of Nein, which is situated on the northern slope of Giv‘at Ha-More. The excavation unearthed the southern half of a lime-kiln (L13; Figs. 1, 2) built into the ground. The installation’s wall (W12) was constructed of medium-sized limestone and was preserved to a depth of 1.18 m. The stones in the lower part of the kiln’s wall were burnt due to the high temperature at which the installation operated. Burnt remains were found at the bottom of the kiln. Light gray soil mixed with white lime was exposed south of the kiln (L10; Fig. 3). Pottery sherds discovered in that soil included two jars from the Byzantine period (Fig. 4:1, 2) along with a cooking pot (Fig. 4:3) and a jar (Fig. 4:4) from the Umayyad period.