Between 2011 and 2020, three trial excavations (Permit Nos. A-6172, A-6173, A-6919) and two salvage excavations (Permit Nos. A-8304, A-8765) were carried out at H orbat Qishron ( map ref. 238610–850/740730–1400; Fig. 1) prior to the widening of Road 65 and the laying of a gas pipeline and water pipes. The excavations were undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority; three were underwritten by Netivei Israel — the National Roads Company, one by the Israel Natural Gas Lines (Permit ; No. A-6919) and one by the Mekorot company (Permit No. A-8765). The first trial excavation (Permit No. A-6173), in May – June 2011, was conducted to the east of the road. It was directed by K. Covello-Paran, with the assistance of F. Abu Zidan (area supervisor). The second trial excavation (Permit No. A-6172), in June–July 2011, was conducted to the west of the road. It was directed by K. Covello-Paran, with the assistance of Z. Horowitz and R. Aylon (area supervisors). The third trial excavation (Permit No. A-6919), in November–December 2013, was carried out to the east of the road. It was directed by K. Covello-Paran and Y. Harel, with the assistance of F. Abu Zidan and L. Porat (area supervisors). The first of the two salvage excavations (Permit No. A-8304), in May 2018–January 2019, was large in scale and conducted both to the east and west of the road. It was directed by K. Covello-Paran and R. Kapul, with the assistance of A. Najjar, B. Tsin, N. Harash, Z. Lang, Z. Badichi, A. Shapiro, T. Lavi and A. Keidar-Goldberg (area supervisors). The second salvage excavation (Permit No. A-8765), in June–July 2020, was conducted west of the road. It was directed by B. Tsin, with the assistance of K. Covello-Paran (pottery sorting, scientific guidance). Further assistance was provided by Y. Laban and Y. Ya‘aqobi (administration), R. Mishayev, M. Kahan, A. Hajian, E. Aladjem and R. Liran (surveying and drafting), Y. Bibas, A. Peretz, M. Peleg and A.E. Ibrahim (photography, aerial photography and photogrammetry), Sky View Photography (aerial photography), R. Be ’ eri, Y. Ascher, Y. Tepper and Y. Nagar (scientific guidance), L. Porat (restoration), H. Tahan-Rosen (drawing of finds), A. Karasik (3D pottery scanning), O. Barzilai, A. Yeroshevitz, M. Oron and P. Spivak (flint), as well as R. Lev and E. Boaretto (Weizmann Institute, radiocarbon dating).
Covello-Paran et al. (Fri,) studied this question.