Ashqelon, er-Rasm

Between August and December 2019, a salvage excavation was conducted at the site er-Rasm to the south of Agammim Neighborhood in Ashqelon (Permit No. A-8583; map ref. 158948/617145), prior to the construction of Agammim Park and following the identification of archaeological remains in mechanically dug trial trenches under the supervision of I. Peretz. The excavation, undertaken by the Israel Antiquities Authority and underwritten by the Ashqelon Economic Co., was directed by T. Erickson-Gini (finds photography) and assisted by L. Shilov, S. Bloch, A. Nevo and N.S. Paran (area supervision), M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), Y. Alamor (logistical support and administration), E. Aladjem (photogrammetric documentation and aerial photography), A. Peretz (aerial and field photography), D. Eisenberg-Degen and S. Bloch (field photography), N. Bashukevich (photo archive), Y. Gorin-Rosen (glass), Y. Spez (initial coin identification), L. Perry Gal (archaeozoology), N. Sukenik (textiles), O. Shamir, E. Ayash and L. Shilov (museology), A. Savariego (finds archivist and photography), D. Gazit, S. Bloch and C. Amit (finds photography), Y. Haimi (finds archivist), I. Lidsky-Reznikov (finds drawing), C. Hersch (glass drawing), A. Freiberg (pottery and stone drawing), I. Reznitsky (metal cleaning), Y. Asscher (field laboratory) and L. Shilov (preparation of excavation areas), as well as Y. Huster, I. Peretz, D. Varga, E. Kogan-Zahavi, D. Yegorov, S. Zur, R. Bar-Nathan, A. Karni el and Y. Farjun (professional advisors). Teams of laborers from Hebron and Kafr Yatta carried out the work together with a group of volunteers from Kibbutz Yad Mordecai and youth from the Maqif Vav Middle School under the supervision of D.A. Aladjem and S. Drackman from the IAA Education Department, Southern Regional Office. The excavation was also aided by S. Ganor, V. Lifshits and M. Gini.