In February 2020, a trial excavation was conducted in Moshav Z ippori (Permit No. A-8688; map ref. 226454–500/739018–50; Fig. 1), prior to the construction of a kindergarten. The excavation, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by Moshav Z ippori, was directed by B. Tzin (field photography), with the assistance of Y. Yaakobi and Y. Lavan (administration), M. Peleg (photogrammetry, surveying and drone photography), Y. Alexandre (pottery), A. Shapiro (GIS and petrographic analysis; see appendix), H. Tahan-Rosen (plans and pottery figures), R. Be’eri (scientific guidance), Y. Har’el (preliminary inspections), workers from Kafr Manda, and volunteers from the moshav and the region. We are especially grateful to R. Abu Raya, A. Shukron, B. Hana and the archaeologists of the Lower Galilee and Valleys District of the IAA for their assistance with the excavation.
Tzin et al. (Wed,) studied this question.