In January 2012, a salvage excavation was conducted at 17 Shalom Aleichem Street in Ramla (Permit No. A-6400; map ref. 187439–64/649022–44), prior to construction. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Ramla municipality, was directed by V. Eshed (photography), with the assistance of Y. Amrani (administration), R. Mishayev (surveying and drafting), H. Torgë (ceramics) and M. Shuiskaya (pottery drawing).
Two excavation squares were opened, and foundations of a dwelling dating to the Early Islamic period were exposed (Figs. 1, 2). The building included part of a large room (L4; 3.5 sq m) and a small adjacent room (L6; c. 1 sq m) to the north. The structure’s foundations (width 0.5 m) were built of medium-sized fieldstones (c. 0.3 × 0.3 m) and were preserved to a maximum height of three courses. The foundations were set in place on hamra that yielded fragments of pottery vessels from the Early Islamic period. These included a bowl (Fig. 3:2), a deep bowl (Fig. 3:3), a white glazed bowl (Fig. 3:4), a krater (Fig. 3:6), a jar (Fig. 3:7), a pomegranate-shaped vessel (Fig. 3:8) and a jug handle (Fig. 3:9; ninth–eleventh century CE). A fragment of a jug (Fig. 3:10) was discovered in the center of Room 6. In the hamra east of Room 6, a deep bowl (L9; Fig. 3:5) and a light green glazed bowl (Fig. 3:1) were found; they date to the Abbasid and Fatimid periods (ninth–eleventh century CE).
Architectural remains ascribed to the Early Islamic period were uncovered in excavations previously carried out on Smolenskin Street, north of the excavation area (
Shlomi 2008;
Korin 2009;
Masarwa 2011). This region was evidently inhabited during the Early Islamic period.