Square E was the northernmost square, revealing sections of two perpendicular walls that formed two rooms, close to surface. The north–south wall (W1; width 0.5 m) extended over a distance of c. 4.5 m and the east–west wall (W2; width 0.6 m)––over a distance of c. 1.5 m. Both walls, built of different-sized fieldstones, with no bonding material, were preserved a single course high (0.15 m).

 

Square D. A cist tomb (T1; length c. 2 m, width c. 0.7 m; Fig. 3), built entirely of dressed kurkar slabs and completely preserved, was found. The east–west oriented tomb was dug into hamra soil that yielded Byzantine-period pottery, including fragments of bowls (Fig. 4:1), cooking pots (Fig. 4:2), mortaria (Fig. 4:3), pithoi (Fig. 4:4), ribbed jars (Fig. 4:5) and jugs (Fig. 4:8). The tomb, which was not opened in the excavation, seems to postdate this period; its direction and shape indicate that it was perhaps part of a modern Muslim cemetery.

 

Square C. A wall (W3; width 0.50 m, preserved height 0.15 m) oriented east–west was exposed just below surface for a length of 2.75 m. Its method of construction and state of preservation were similar to the wall segments in Square E. The three wall segments should probably be ascribed to the buildings of the Arab village Yibna that existed until 1948.

An unguentarium dating to the Early Roman period (Fig. 4:9) was discovered in the debris of Square C.

 

Square B. Remains of another tomb, which included the northwestern corner and a section of a cist tomb’s bottom (T2) that was mostly destroyed, were exposed. The tomb was built of kurkar slabs. This tomb may have belonged to the cemetery from the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age II that was partially excavated by R. Kletter (HA-ESI 116: 45*–46*).

 

Square A. A refuse pit dating to the Byzantine period, which contained numerous fragments of baggy-shaped jars and ‘Gaza’ jars (Fig. 4:6, 7), as well as several cooking pots and bowls, was found. These finds, along with a bottle from the Roman period and perhaps the cist tomb in Square D, indicate that part of the Arab village at Yibna also extended on top of the cemetery and refuse pits from the Byzantine period to the foot of the tell.