During May–June 2006 and January–May 2008, salvage excavations were conducted in the cemetery at Qanat el-Ja‘ar ('the ge‘ara channel', 'line between the zomot') in the Bet She’an Valley (Permit Nos. A-4830, A-5293, A-5425; map ref. 2479–80/7090–2), following work for the installation of a sewer line. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the National Sewage Management, was directed by Z. Horowitz, with the assistance of Y. Lavan (administration), V. Essman, V. Pirsky and T. Meltsen (surveying), Y. Nagar (physical anthropology), H. Tahan (pottery drawing) and laborers from Umm el-Fahm and Nazareth.
The cemetery is situated on a slope descending toward the east, c. 0.5 km northeast of Qibbuz ‘En Ha-Naziv. The burial caves are hewn in a thick layer of travertine that is fairly soft sediment covering the limestone bedrock. Due to the cemetery’s location in the narrow passage between the upper and middle parts of the Bet She’an Valley, various infrastructure lines were installed there. Consequently, a survey and numerous salvage excavations had taken place, revealing dozens of tombs that dated to the Early, Middle and Late Bronze Ages, Iron Age I and II and from the Persian through the Byzantine periods (Zori N. 1962. An Archaeological Survey of the Beth-Shean Valley. In: The Beth Shean Valley: The 17th Archaeological Convention. Jerusalem, p. 173; HA 34-35:7; 44:10; 47:5; 59-60:64-65; 73:40; 76:14 [Hebrew]; ESI 2:30; 4:26–28; 7-8:51–52).
Four burial caves of the ten discovered during infrastructure work were examined. The caves, three adjacent ones, severely damaged (T100–T102; Fig. 1) and another cave (T103), c. 150 m southeast of them, were hewn in the lower third of the slope (185–170 m below sea level). The four caves were used during the Intermediate Bronze Age.
Each of the burial caves was accessed from the surface by way of a vertical shaft (depth c. 2 m) hewn in its eastern side. However, the shaft was entirely preserved only in Tomb 103, where its outline was round, and partly preserved in Tomb 102, where its outline was rectangular (Fig. 2). Part of the corridor that linked the shaft and the burial chamber was preserved in three of the tombs. The outline of the corridor was trapezoid in Caves 101 and 102 (Fig. 2) and rectangular in Tomb 103 (Fig. 3). The burial chambers (8.5–10.5 sq m, height 1.5–2.5 m) were elliptical and had a leveled floor, curved walls and an arched ceiling. Three of the tombs consisted of a single burial chamber; whereas Tomb 100 comprised two burial chambers. Despite the lack of uniformity in these details, the tombs do not seem to deviate from the typical tomb plan from this period in the Bet She’an Valley.
Human remains were found on the floors of the burial chambers in Tombs 100–102 (Fig. 4). Six individuals in primary burial and full anatomical articulation, exceptionally well preserved, were found in Tomb 102. The individuals were placed in a fetal position with their heads in the east; the faces of the males were turned toward the north while those of the females faced the south (Fig. 5).
A rich assemblage of pottery vessels from the Intermediate Bronze Age was found in the tombs (Fig. 6), including a bowl; a goblet; nine store jars; two teapots; five jugs, two of which have a pinched rim; thirteen amphoriskoi and twelve lamps, one of which has a single spout, two have three spouts and nine have four spouts. Most of the vessels were decorated with red-painted patterns (Fig. 7). These vessels belong to the northern group, which is characterized by the extensive use of painted decorations in the Bet She’an Valley. Three spearheads and a sword were found alongside the pottery (Fig. 8). Although these are known from the period, their fine state of preservation allows us to reconstruct parts that are not usually known, such as the sword’screscent-shaped pommel. Other finds included a rectangular bead with two perforations and a female figurine, both made of stone.