In 2018 and 2019, educational excavations were conducted just west of Kefar Ya‘bez (Kiludiya; License Nos. G-37/2019, G-23/2019; map ref. 1969/6864). The excavations, conducted on behalf of and funded by the Karev Foundation and Lev Ha-Sharon Regional Council, were directed by A. Kohn-Tavor of the Dagesh Archaeological Tourism company (field photography) and D. Ben-Shlomo from Ariel University (scientific advice and equipment), with the assistance of N. Dekel from the Karev Foundation (administration and guidance), E. Ayalon (scientific consultation), N. Ben-Natan (conservation) and A. Ritov the Head of Lev Ha-Sharon Regional Council and R. Rofe Hadari thr Educational Department Director in the Council. Students from schools in Lev Ha-Sharon Regional Council and from Deror Junior High School participated in the excavation.
The ancient site of Kiludiya is situated on a low ḥamra hill in the coastal plain (Fig. 1). The northern part of the hill, containing the remains of a settlement, was destroyed in past agricultural activity. Gray tell-like soil, numerous potsherds and building stones were identified at the site. A cistern coated with debesh mortar and gray plaster and attributed to an ancient settlement was damaged by antiquities robbers. A Byzantine–Early Islamic winepress to the west of the settlement remains was excavated in the past (Ayalon 1984). Trial excavations at the site in 1981 (covering a length of 67 m, max. depth 1.5 m) yielded architectural remains and pottery from the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods (Israel Antiquities Authority archives).
Four excavation squares (4 × 4 m, depth 0.2–0.4 m) yielded a fill of gray soil with mixed finds ranging in date from the Early Islamic period to the present day. The finds (not drawn) include fragments of jars, glazed bowls, tesserae, glass shards and metal items. The latest pottery are Serçe Limani-type glazed bowls from the early eleventh century CE. A few small limestones were found but had no architectural context. The ancient finds were mixed with a few modern finds, indicating that the surface level is mixed. A gold Abbasid coin was found on the surface to the south of the excavation.
Ayalon E. 1984. Kefar Ya‘beṣ (Kiludiya). ESI 2:61.