During August 2003 an excavation was conducted along the northern bank of Nahal Bet Ha-‘Emeq (Permit No. A-3972*; map ref. NIG 20820–1/76564–5; OIG 15820–1/26564–5), in the wake of developing the Shavē Ziyyon sewage system and the rehabilitation of the Nahal Bet Ha-‘Emeq drainage, as well as east of the excavation conducted in the previous year (HA-ESI 118). The excavation, on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, was directed by Y. Lerer, with the assistance of R. Abu-Raya, E. Stern, N. Getzov, A. Shapiro, V. Essman and V. Pirsky (surveying) and H. Smithline (photography).
An area, c. 100 m east of Area A in the former excavation, was opened.
A kurkar surface (5 × 60 m), with remains of two stone quarries, was exposed. Rectangular stones (0.4 × 0.6 m) were cut in one quarry (4 × 4 m, 0.2–0.4 m deep) and a somewhat different size of stones (0.3 × 0.8 m) were quarried and in the other (4.0 × 4.3 m, 0.1–0.3 m deep); several potsherds dating to the Byzantine period were found.