Area A is located north of the Be’er Sheva‘–Nizzana road (Road 211) and just west of Nahal Besor, as far as the sand dunes west of Ashalim (Fig. 2). This loess plain, c. 310–320 m above sea level, is probably in the wadi’s flood plain; the area becomes sandier in the north, until the southern fringes of Holot Haluza.
Most of the area was leveled and prepared for cultivation and no archaeological sites were found; however, several sites (Table 1) were located in the north, as well as four farming terraces, each built of two courses of stones (Table 2).
Table 1. Area A, sites.
Site
|
Central map ref.
|
Description
|
4
|
170414/542362
|
Scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age and the Byzantine period (40×40 m)
|
5
|
169524/542374
|
Meager scattering of flint tools (20×20 m) and several potsherds from the Early Bronze Age
|
7
|
169527/542465
|
Encampment site (20×20 m) with scattering of flint tools and potsherds from Early Bronze Age
|
8
|
170503/542446
|
Encampment site with remains of walls, an installation (Fig. 3) and a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age
|
9
|
169150/542702
|
Scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods (30×30 m)
|
10
|
169462/542756
|
Encampment site (50×50 m) with flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age
|
101
|
170418/543057
|
Muslim cemetery (100×150 m), mostly located beyond the survey area
|
104
|
170285/543598
|
Scattering of flint tools and stones (60×60 m), most of which are burnt
|
105
|
169150/542294
|
Scattering of flint tools and a few potsherds from the Early Bronze Age (40×40 m)
|
106
|
169555/542545
|
Encampment site with a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Early Bronze Age and the Byzantine and Ottoman periods
|
107
|
169465/542575
|
Encampment site with a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Chalcolithic period
|
112
|
169700/543445
|
Encampment site (100×100 m) with a scattering of flint tools and potsherds from the Byzantine period
|
113
|
169750/542995
|
Large prehistoric site (c. 90 dunams; Fig. 4). Numerous flint artifacts were found (Fig. 5), including lunettes of the Natufian culture and artifacts from later periods
|
Table 2. Area A, terraces.
Terrace
|
Central map reference
|
Length (m)
|
202
|
169332/542316
|
13
|
203
|
169554/542644
|
24
|
204
|
169536/542613
|
41
|
205
|
169616/542727
|
62
|
Area B is located on the northern slopes of the Negev Highland ridges, south of Road 211 and east of Ashalim (Figs. 6–9). The area is characterized by low qirton hills, which are overlain with a flint hamada and whose tops rise to an elevation of 340–350 m above sea level. Stretching between the hills is a series of broad shallow tributaries that flow northeast, toward Nahal Besor and Nahal Be’er Hayyil. Evidence of military activity is visible in the area.
Nine terrace complexes, preserved at least two courses high (width 0.7–1.0 m, min. height 0.2 m; Figs. 10, 11) were found in the wadi channels (Table 3). Within the area of these complexes and beyond them, cisterns and buildings associated with them were discovered and other sites were discerned (Table 4).
Table 3. Area B, agricultural complexes.
Complex
|
Fig.
|
No. of terraces
|
No. of courses
|
Max. height (m)
|
Direction of flow in the channel
|
A
|
7
|
46
|
4
|
0.5
|
East–west
|
B
|
6
|
22
|
4
|
0.5
|
South–north
|
C
|
7
|
27
|
8
|
1.5
|
South–north
|
D
|
7
|
21
|
4
|
0.6
|
Southeast-northwest
|
E
|
8
|
15
|
4
|
0.5
|
South–north
|
F
|
8
|
18
|
5
|
0.6
|
South–north
|
G
|
9
|
19
|
4
|
0.4
|
Southeast-northwest
|
H
|
9
|
30
|
4
|
0.4
|
East–west
|
I
|
9
|
6
|
5
|
0.5
|
East–west
|
Table 4. Area B, sites.
Site
|
Central map ref.
|
Description
|
12
|
171722/539992
|
Farming terrace built of a single course of small stones arranged in a row (not marked on plan)
|
13
|
172224/540345
|
Six stone heaps (diam. 0.5 m), one course high
|
15
|
172256/540253
|
Stone heap (diam. 3 m), probably an installation, and Byzantine-period potsherds nearby
|
16
|
172564/540253
|
Terrace complex from the Roman–Byzantine periods
|
17
|
172550/540768
|
Cistern hewn in limestone bedrock (depth c. 4–5 m; Fig.12) with a round opening (diam. 1.5 m), preserved four stone courses high. potsherds dating to the Byzantine and Ottoman periods were discovered around the opening
|
18
|
173462/541851
|
Cistern hewn in limestone bedrock (depth c. 4 m; Fig.13) with a rectangular opening (1.0×1.5 m); the cistern is apparently still being used
|
19
|
174801/541553
|
Cistern hewn in limestone bedrock (depth c. 4.5 m; Fig. 14), with a round opening (diam. 1.2 m)
|
108
|
174942/541201
|
Stone wall (length 4 m), one course high
|
109
|
174670/541475
|
Rectangular building (4×5 m; Fig. 15) in Complex C, whose walls are preserved four stone courses high.
|
110
|
173803/540960
|
Large building (15×25 m) on a hilltop, divided into rooms; potsherds from the Early Bronze Age and the Byzantine period were found around it
|
111
|
173602/540830
|
Round structure (diam. 50 m) built of a single stone course; it seems to be an animal pen.
|
114
|
175205/541945
|
Round structure (diam. 5 m; Fig. 16) preserved two stone courses high, next to the end of a terrace
|
Area PV, which was triangular, is located north of Road 211 and west of Area A (See Fig. 1); it included the southeastern fringes of Giv‘at Hayyil. These low qirton hills rise to an elevation of c. 320 m above sea level and are covered in the south with a flint hamada and in the north with small amounts of sand. Intensive earthmoving activity that included exposing the ground and building earthen ramparts is evident in the area; it can be assumed that this activity also caused damage to archaeological sites, which were not discovered.
Six farming terraces (PV0–PV5; see Fig. 2) were found between Areas A and PV.
The prehistoric sites in Area A were exposed as a result of winds, carrying away the sand while the flint tools settled in the loess layer. The farming complexes exposed in Area B are indicative of an agricultural settlement that began in the Roman period and continued into the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods. The agricultural areas were also cultivated in the Ottoman period.