In October–November 2009, a survey-excavation was conducted at Tel Yavne (License G-1/2009; map ref. 17596–635/64135–70) on behalf of the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University. The survey-excavation was directed by B. Zissu (photography), E. Baruch and A. Levy-Reifer, with the participation of A.Klein, students from the department and volunteers. Additional help was provided by A. Faust, D. Adan-Bayewitz, A. Ferrera, Y. Rosenthal and members of the Kefar ‘Ezion Field School.
The entire area of Tel Yavne was surveyed. The survey was followed by the excavation of 15 round, shallow test pits (max. diam. 1.5 m, depth c. 0.2 m; Fig. 1) in order to expose ancient remains and finds that predate the Byzantine period; the test pits were filled in upon completion of the excavation. It was apparent from the survey that the remains of the Arab village of Yebnah, which existed until 1948, and of the 1950s immigrants’ camp densely covered most of the area of the mound. These remains are visible on aerial photographs, including one from 1949, and a map from the British Mandate period indicated the location of the village. The remains include cinder blocks, concrete, asbestos, roof tiles, plaster and mortar, sheet metal and other remains of modern buildings. The survey results as well as aerial photographs and maps showed that the remains on the eastern slope of the tell and at its foot are the least dense and that this area suffered less from construction disturbances. Although best preserved and thus chosen for the excavation of test pits, the eastern slope nevertheless subject to disturbances in recent years, such as development of trails, soil removal, preparation of cultivation plots, soil scraping for creating firebreaks, as well as construction and dumping of modern construction debris.
Fifteen test pits arranged along a north–south axis were excavated (100–114; Table 1), and the soil from six of them was sifted (7 × 7 mm mesh). Dark brown soil (topsoil?) mixed with a few potsherds from the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods, the Middle Ages, the Ottoman period and the modern era were discovered in most of the test pits. Remains of modern tools and metal objects were also discovered. Lighter-color soil was exposed only in one square (112). No architectural remains were discovered in any of the squares; a single stone was found in Square 110, with no nearby context of a wall or an installation.
No significant finds were revealed in the survey-excavation at Tel Yavne. In the future, the test area should be expanded in hope of locating ancient remains which can be excavated.
Table 1. The excavation probes
Probe No.
|
Map Ref.
|
Period Represented by Potsherds
|
Special Find
|
100
|
176349/641576
|
Ottoman, modern
|
|
101
|
176341/641564
|
Byzantine, Middle Ages
|
Fragment of an ancient hole-mouth vessel (?)
|
102
|
176319/641538
|
Byzantine, Early Islamic, Middle Ages, Ottoman
|
|
103
|
176312/641538
|
No sherds were saved
|
|
104
|
176314/641525
|
Byzantine, Early Islamic (?)
|
|
105
|
176301/641550
|
Ottoman
|
|
106
|
176295/641544
|
Byzantine, Early Islamic, Middle Ages, Ottoman
|
|
107
|
176287/641577
|
Byzantine, Middle Ages, Ottoman, modern era
|
|
108
|
176284/641583
|
Byzantine, Middle Ages, Ottoman
|
|
109
|
176317/641453
|
Byzantine, Middle Ages, Ottoman
|
|
110
|
176313/641442
|
Middle Ages, Ottoman, modern era
|
worked fragment of soft limestone, possibly the wall of an ossuary
|
111
|
176305/641470
|
Byzantine, Ottoman, modern era
|
|
112
|
176344/641449
|
Byzantine, Early Islamic, Middle Ages
|
marble bowl fragment
|
113
|
176349/641436
|
Byzantine, Middle Ages, Ottoman, modern era
|
|
114
|
176282/641451
|
No sherds were saved
|
|