During January 2001, artifacts were discovered during an antiquities inspection of infrastructure work in the ancient core of Kafr Qari‘ (map ref. NIG 205423–59/712280–44; OIG 155423–59/212280–44). The finds were collected by H. Mahamid, assisted by P. Gendelman (dating) and M. Shuiskaya-Arnov (pottery drawing).
The finds were found at a depth of 1 m, in a layer of fill that contained a multitude of potsherds, including a cooking pot (Fig. 1:1), the rim of an amphoriskos from the Late Byzantine period (Fig. 1:2) and a fragment of a basalt crushing vessel (Fig. 1:3), as well as eight lamps (Fig. 2:1–5) that dated to the sixth and the beginning of the seventh century CE. The lamps are decorated with floral patterns and have a base ring, a wing-like handle and a channel, extending the length of the nozzle (‘Atiqot 39:56). These lamps were common in Samaria and along the central coastal plain from the fourth century CE until the seventh century CE (‘Atiqot 38:55–63). Especially noteworthy is a trapezoid lamp with five wick-holes, decorated with geometric and floral patterns (Fig. 3; Qedem [8] 1978:115, Fig. 471).
Although the potsherds were found in fill that probably derived from the core of the modern village when it was established some 180 years ago atop an ancient site, the finds can be correlated to those from other excavations that had previously been conducted along the western and northern fringes of the ancient village’s core (
ESI 19:31*–32*;
HA-ESI 114:37*–38*;
HA-ESI 117).