In April–June 2012, a study excavation was conducted in a rock-hewn winepress southwest of Mizpeh Har’el (Permit No. A-6539; map ref. 634820–97/196190–315). The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, was directed by C. Peterman-Lifchitz (photography) and P. Betzer, with the assistance of D. Levi (GPS).
The excavation was carried out as part of an annual lesson in archaeology for fourth-grade pupils at Ha-Shahar Elementary School in Moshav Tal Shahar. A rock-hewn winepress, including a treading floor, a collecting vat and a settling pit (Fig. 1), was exposed. The treading floor (2.29 × 2.48 m) was cleaned, exposing three hewn cupmarks (southern—diam. 0.4 m, exposed depth 5 cm; middle—diam. 0.24 m, exposed depth 6 cm; northern—0.3 m, exposed depth 6 cm; Fig. 2). The collecting vat (1.19 × 1.49 m, exposed depth 0.25 m) was partially cleaned, exposing another hewn cupmark (diam. 0.34 m, depth 0.1 m), 0.92 m south of the vat. The settling pit (0.60 × 0.65 m, exposed depth 0.25 m) was also partially cleaned.