During August 2002 a trial excavation was conducted at the site of Nahal ‘Anava West (Permit No. A-3710*; map ref. NIG 19608/64455; OIG 14608/14455), prior to work along the route of Highway 4 in Modi‘in. The excavation, on behalf of the Antiquities Authority and financed by the E. Tayyar Construction Company, was directed by T. Kanias, with the assistance of V. Essman and V. Pirsky (surveying) and T. Sagiv (photography).
The excavation was conducted along the western slope of the wadi, next to two limekilns from the Ottoman period. Remains of a rectangular winepress and a water cistern were exposed. Only the western part of the winepress had survived intact and the bell-shaped cistern, entirely coated with hydraulic plaster, was hewn inside the winepress’ collecting vat. A surface coated with white plaster mixed with gray temper (thickness 0.1 m) was in the center of the treading floor (width c. 2.5 m). It was impossible to date the winepress or the water cistern. However, to the west of the winepress and above bedrock were several pottery fragments, mostly Gaza ware, dating to the Ottoman period.