During March 2005 a trial excavation was conducted at el-Haddar, in Tel Aviv (Permit No. A-4417*; map ref. 18389–90/66805–7; OIG 13389–90/16805–7), after ancient remains were exposed during an archaeological inspection. The excavation, on behalf of the Antiquities Authority, was directed by A. Bouchenino, with the assistance of V. Essman and V. Pirsky (surveying), T. Sagiv (photography), E. Belashov (drafting), M. Shuiskaya-Arnov (find drawing), R. Vinitsky (metallurgical laboratory), R. Kool (numismatics) and E. Ayalon (consultation).
The site is located on the bank of the Yarkon River, between the Ramat-Gan Stadium and the Ayyalon Mall, where the Ten Mills flour mill (el-Haddar) operated in the Ottoman period. This mill was the largest of the flour mills built along the Yarkon River and among the largest in the Land of Israel (S. Avitzur, The Yarkon – The River and its Region, 1963, pp. 154–156).
During the course of an archaeological inspection a wall segment (W10; length c. 7.7 m, width c. 1.2 m; Fig. 1) built of several different-sized dressed kurkar masonry stones, was found. An excavation area (5.0 × 5.7 m) was opened and the wall was re-exposed and cleaned for its entire length (7.7 m; width of section 5.7 m; Fig. 2). The wall was built of smooth, dressed stones that were carefully fitted together and coated with plaster.
During an archaeological inspection carried out two years ago, to the west of the mandatory road (Mivza Kadesh Street) and c. 20 m from the present excavation, the northwestern corner of W10 at the place where its width changed, was revealed. The eastern end of the wall was lying beyond the bounds of the excavation and therefore, not exposed. Wall 10, the southern retaining wall of the mill, was very well preserved and exposed to its original full height. It was apparently not damaged when the mandatory road was paved in the 1930s. This data is corroborated by the 1941 report and plans of C.N. Jones (el-Haddar, File ATQ/781, IAA Archives).
Two copper coins from the nineteenth century CE were found at the bottom of the wall; one dated to the time of Mohammed II (1234 AH – 1808 CE) and the other, to the time of Abed al-‘Aziz (1277 AH – 1860 CE).
The meager ceramic finds dated to the Ottoman period and included two bases of bowls (Fig. 1:2, 3) that were found in the northwestern corner of W10 and a vase fragment (Fig. 3:3), recovered from the top of the wall.
A dressed limestone pavement (0.4 × 0.4 m) was located just to the west of W10.
Based on the scant ceramic finds, the coins and the Jones’ report, Wall 10 should be dated to the Ottoman period.