During April–June 2004, a survey preceding development was conducted at Kefar Veradim (Permit No. A-4139; map ref. NIG 22250–430/76685–840; OIG 17250–430/26685–840), prior to enlarging the settlement. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Kefar Veradim Economic Company, was directed by Y. Lerer, with the assistance of E. Stern, R. Abu Raya and R. Kalir (survey) and A. Shapiro (GPS).
The survey was conducted north of the Nahal Yehi‘am shopping mall, in an area that rises to an elevation of 531 m above sea level. In the western part of the surveyed area the ground is rocky and covered with dense vegetation, whereas the area’s eastern part is exposed and partly planted with olive groves and pastureland. The survey area was divided into five secondary areas (A–E) where 69 sites with antiquities were located (Fig. 1).
Area A, Sites 1–45: A tumuli field with 17 burial units; the field is surrounded by 11 fieldstone-built walls. The base of a tower and a rectangular building, both built of fieldstones, were found.
Area B, Sites 46–57: A large rectangular building (15 × 30 m) is located in the middle of the hill’s eastern slope. It is divided into rooms and its limestone-built walls are preserved three–four courses high. Hewn installation and cistern are located south of the building, which was lacking pottery finds and therefore, could not be dated.
Area C, Sites 58–62: A complex that consists of an enclosure wall (length 27 m) with rectangular rooms alongside it. Two circular buildings (diam. 5 m) in the middle of the complex, built of large fieldstones and preserved five courses high, have a narrow entrance in the northeast. The enclosure yielded no pottery finds and its construction can not be dated at this time.
Area D, Sites 64–66: Remains of two watch towers and a hewn shaft tomb nearby.
Area E, Site 67: A watch tower located on a hilltop; a hewn cistern (Site 69) and a farming terrace (Site 68) are southwest of the tower.