Ancient Village Discovered Near “Burma Road”

July 2, 2014

Photo credit: Ashernet and Israel Antiquities Authority The remnants of a rural settlement that was occupied for approximately two centuries during the Second Temple Period were uncovered near the “Burma Road” [by-pass road to Jerusalem in 1948]. The excavations, which covered about 750 square meters [8,073 sq ft], revealed a small settlement with a few stone houses and a network of narrow alleys. Each building, which probably housed a single nuclear family, consisted of several rooms and an open courtyard. The site, whose name has not survived, is nestled at the top of a spur 280 meters [920 ft] above sea level, with commanding views of the surrounding countryside. These large tracts of land were used, as they are today, to cultivate orchards and vineyards, which were the economic mainstay of the region’s early settlers.

Photo credit: Ashernet and Israel Antiquities Authority It is not known why the site was abandoned, but it is probably related to economic problems and not to a violent incident. The excavations yielded numerous and varied finds, including basalt and limestone grinding and milling tools for domestic use, pottery cooking pots, jars for storing liquids (oil and wine), pottery oil lamps for domestic use, and over sixty coins, including coins from the reigns of the Seleucid King Antiochus III and the Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus.