The site is known from Schumacher’s explorations and was documented within the Emergency Survey (M. Kochavi [ed.], Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights, The 1968 Archaeological Survey, Jerusalem, 1972, Site 87). Excavations along the southern fringes of the tell (License No. K-7/1979; Z.U. Maoz) revealed fortification remains from the Roman period, as well as fragments of pottery vessels from the Chalcolithic period and the Bronze and Iron Ages. Remains of buildings from the Roman period and probably the remains of a miqwe were excavated near the spring to the north of the tell (License No. K-6/1981). Various surveys that had been performed at the site recorded potsherds that mostly dated to the Byzantine and Mamluk periods, while others dated to the Early and Middle Bronze Ages and the Iron Age, and a few dated to the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods (H. Ben David 2005, The Jewish Settlement in the Golan during the Period of the Mishnah and Talmud, p. 87). It has been suggested that because of its name the site should be identified with the Seleucid city mentioned in Josephus’ writings; however, this identification is dubious due to the paucity of finds from the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods (M. Hartal, 2005, Land of the Ituraeans, p. 347).

The excavation area (4.25 × 6.25 m) was located on flat ground along the southwestern edge of Tell Selukiyeh, next to a pumping facility that was apparently the spot whence the ancient spring flowed forth (Z.U. Maoz and S. Bar-Lev, pers. comm.).

After clearing away top soil that included gray tuff and modern fill, the basaltic soil was excavated to the level of the water table (Fig. 1). Numerous potsherds that ranged in date from the Early Bronze Age until the Roman period (third–fourth centuries CE) were collected. Some of the potsherds were worn and probably originated from the tell, while some others were fresh.

 

It seems that the area was situated beyond the boundaries of the built-up site in the past. The recovered finds are in keeping with our knowledge of the site and they neither substantiate nor contradict the different identifications proposed for the city of Selukiyeh.