During July 2007, a survey was conducted in Yoqne‘am ‘Illit, southeast of Eliyakim Interchange (Permit No. A-5192; map ref. 20714–814/72662–748), prior to the construction of a new neighborhood. The survey, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Ministry of Construction and Housing, was directed by Y. Tepper, with the assistance of A. Shapiro (GPS).
The survey area is located in Ramot Menashe, south of the Carmel and Road 70, near known archaeological sites at Horbat Hermesh in the west, Tel Yoqne‘am in the northwest and Horbat Hanot Qira in the east. The area had been surveyed in the past and a row of burial mounds were documented (J. Olami. 1981. Map of Dalia [31], Site 54).
Two other sites were found in the current survey, and an agricultural complex was checked by means of probe trenches (Figs. 1, 2).
Site 1 is located on a hilltop in the northeast of the area. A concentration of stones was found on the slopes and potsherds from the Roman and Byzantine periods were discovered in the trial trenches.
Site 2 is located within an orchard in the west of the area. Potsherds dating to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods were collected. An archaeological stratum that yielded potsherds was exposed in trial trenches dug in the north of the site.
Sites 3 and 4 are stone heaps on the crest line (see Map of Dalia [31], Site 54). Non-diagnostic potsherds were found in a trial trench dug close to them.
Sites 5–9 are part of an agricultural complex that is spread across an extensive area. Building lines, which are probably terraces, were documented on both sides of a valley that descends from north to south. It was determined in nearby dug trial trenches that the terraces were lines of stone clearance on small mounds of earth. Several potsherds recovered from the trenches and found on the surface indicate that the complex is either contemporaneous with the Roman period or postdates it.
According to the survey finds it seems that most of the remains should be dated to the Roman and Byzantine periods.