In July 2014, a salvage excavation was conducted on Beitar Street in Lod (Permit No. A-7165; map ref. 190774–92/651811–30; Fig. 1), prior to digging a sewer line. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Y.C. Yahad Infrastructure Company, Ltd., was directed by D. Masarwa (photography), with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), A. ‘Azab and A. Shadman (scientific consultation), C. Ben-Ari (GPS), M. Kunin (surveying and drafting), U. ‘Ad (ceramics) and M. Shuiskaya (pottery drawing).
Stratum I. A section of a wall (W107; Fig. 3) built of two rows of small and medium-sized fieldstones, oriented along a northeast–southwest axis, was exposed in the northeastern part of Sq C1; it was preserved to a maximum height of two courses. Wall 107 was also discovered beneath a layer of collapsed fieldstones, small and medium in size (L102). A floor bedding (L103; Fig. 4) made of small fieldstones bonded with grey mortar was exposed in Sq C3.
Stratum II. A section of a floor (L108) that was made of medium-size fieldstones was exposed in Sq C1. A row of small fieldstones revealed in the center of the square was apparently part of this floor as well. The floor was also overlain by collapsed stones (L102), and it did not adjoin W107.
The soil accumulated above the remains of both strata in Sq C1 and below the bedding of Floor 103 in Sq C3 contained fragments of pottery vessels dating to the end of the Byzantine period and the beginning of the Early Islamic period. These included bowls (Fig. 5:1–3), jars (Fig. 5:4, 5) and the base of a jug (Fig. 5:6). The remains that were uncovered were evidently the continuation of the architectural remains from the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods previously exposed nearby.
Gophna R. and Beit-Arieh I. 1997. Map of Lod (80) (Archaeological Survey of Israel). Jerusalem.