Israel Antiquities Authority

The corner of a large building was exposed on the southern slope of the site (Fig. 1).

Two squares, in the southeast (4.5 × 7.0 m) and the north (4.0 × 4.5 m) of the building, along the continuation of the eastern wall (W10), were opened.

The walls of the building, preserved six courses high (2 m), were built of roughly hewn medium-sized stones. Walls 10 and 13 were built on a foundation of stone and earth above bedrock.

Two perpendicular walls (W12, W15) inside the building were probably used to partition the structure into rooms.

Numerous potsherds and a few glass vessels were found, including a cooking pot (Fig. 2:1) from the Hellenistic period; a bowl (Fig. 2:2) and jars (Fig. 2:3, 4) from the Early Roman period; bowls (Fig. 2:5–8) and a cooking pot (Fig. 2:9) from the Byzantine period; a bowl (Fig. 2:10) and a jar (Fig. 2:11) from the Early Islamic period; bowls (Fig. 2:12–14) from the Crusader period; bowls (Fig. 2:15–17); a juglet (Fig. 2:18) from the Mamluk period and bowls (Fig. 2:19–21) and a pipe (Fig. 2:21) from the Ottoman period.

Potsherds from all these periods were also found on the bedrock and next to the foundations; based on the latest potsherds, the structure can be dated to the Ottoman period.