In July 2014, a trial excavation was conducted c. 200 m south of Horbat Burgat Mishor, north of Highway 781 (Permit No. A-7168; map ref. 211731–47/747682–99; Fig. 1), after antiquities were discovered in a preliminary inspection prior to the construction of a railroad track. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Yefe Nof Engineering Company, Ltd., was directed by E. Oren (photography), with the assistance of E. Bachar (administration), C. Ben-Ari (GPS) and L. Talmi.
Two adjacent squares aligned in a north–south direction were opened in the current excavation (Fig. 2). Some 20 cm of topsoil were removed by means of mechanical equipment, exposing remains dating to the Late Roman period. Remains of an ancient road (length 9 m, width c. 2.5 m) running in a general north–south direction were unearthed. The roadbed was built of limestone fieldstones of various sizes set on a layer of clay (L17; Fig. 3). A trench excavated in the northern part of the area (L25) showed that the stones were arranged in at least two layers. The roadbed was bounded by two walls (W12, W20) built of dry construction, utilizing medium–large fieldstones founded on a layer of clay and preserved to a height of two courses (Fig. 4).
The ceramic finds included several body fragments of pottery vessels dating to the Late Roman period.