The cave had been surveyed and excavated in the past (Fig. 1; HA-ESI 117).

During the current season, the excavation focused in Area A, where three subareas (A1–A3) were opened at the entrance to the cave (Fig. 2).

Subarea A1 was located in the northern part of the entrance to the cave, near the ritual bath (miqwe). A square (4 × 4 m) was opened to resume work that had begun in the first season. The excavation was made deeper (51.59–51.79 m below sea level [hereafter, bsl]) in a layer of light color soil fill that contained mixed finds, including fragments of pottery vessels, pieces of cloth and animal bones, as well as a bronze coin from the Year 2 of the Great Revolt (Fig. 3), remains of a leather sandal and the bottom part of a carved animal horn, probably a shofar.

 

Subarea A2, in the southern part of the cave’s front, was a niche of sorts (c. 1.5 × 3.0 m; Fig. 4) whose ceiling descended slightly toward the southwest. Remains of a north–south oriented wall that closed the opening of the cave were discerned east of the niche. It seems that the niche should be dated to the Roman period, based on the quarrying marks visible on its eastern and western sides and ceiling. The niche had two entrances, separated by a large rock; one was outside the cave to the northeast and the other—inside the cave to the north. Grayish black soil mixed with stones and gravel was found at the front of the niche (L21001, sloping top elevation 50.8–51.0 m bsl, bottom elevation 52.17 m bsl). Scant remains of light colored calcite material were observed between the cracks in the ceiling of the niche. The excavation ascertained that the niche was filled with gravelly material that was brought from outside the cave, probably by man. The niche yielded fragments of pottery vessels, animal bones, flint, glass fragments, remains of worked wood, trees, organic material and pits, mostly of palm dates, as well as a fragment of an elliptical stone pounder, similar to the one discovered in the first season, which was probably used in the quarrying of the niche.

A layer of soil, which contained remains of flint tools from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, was exposed in the lower southwestern part of the niche (elevation c. 54.0 m bsl). The excavation was suspended at a depth of minus 4.46 m, due to a large limestone rock that had probably fallen inside from the opening of the niche.

 

Subarea A3, west of Subarea A1, was a probe trench (c. 1 × 2 m) oriented north–south, which was opened due to an illicit dig that had recently taken place. The excavation from surface (elevation 51.10 m bsl) was in grayish black powdery soil, mixed with organic material (L21002; depth c. 0.4 m). Below it (L21004; depth c. 0.4 m) were the remains of a hearth, fragments of pottery vessels, animal bones, pits, wood remains, flint and glass fragments, which indicated an occupation level.

Gray soil fill that contained many reeds (L21005; depth c. 0.6 m) and a plethora of artifacts, which indicated an occupation layer, were excavated below L21004. The artifacts included a hearth, fragments of pottery vessels and glass, flint, pits, a worked seashell and remains of trees. The excavation beneath the hearth (L21006; c. 0.1 m to elevation 52.17 m bsl; Fig. 5) revealed that it was founded atop natural bedrock.

The pottery vessels from Area A were dated to the Early Roman and the Chalcolithic periods; all have comparisons in the Judean Desert caves or in more distant sites. The pottery from the Roman period included two bowls (Fig. 6:1, 2), five cooking pots (Fig. 6:3–7), three jars (Fig. 6:9–11), three jugs (Fig. 6:12–14) and three juglets (Fig. 6:15–17). Two diagnostic artifacts from the Chalcolithic period were a flat base of a holemouth vessel (Fig. 6:18) and a lug handle (Fig. 6:19). 

 

The wealth of finds indicates that the vicinity of the entrance, the miqwe and the niche were the main areas of activity in the cave during the Chalcolithic and the Early Roman periods. The cave dwellers were not satisfied with the natural dimensions of the cave and had hewn the niche and fitted it to suit their needs. At a later phase the niche was sealed by man. The excavation of the niche was not completed and therefore, it is difficult to determine its exact use.

The pottery vessels attest to activity during the Early Roman period, in the first century BCE–the first century CE. Hence, it is cautiously suggested that the cave was in use during the events that transpired during the Second Temple period until the time of the Great Revolt. This proposal is further corroborated by the recovery of the bronze coin that is dated to the Year 2 of the Great Revolt.