Khirbat el-Malṭa‘a

In May 2020, a trial excavation was conducted at Khirbat el-Mal t a‘a in the Urim military base (Permit No. A-8742; map ref. 156268–581/580606–880; Fig. 1), after antiquities were discovered in probe trenches dug prior to construction work. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by the Ministry of Defense, was directed by M.-D. Pasternak, with the assistance of Y. Alamor (administration), E. Aladjem, I. Azoulay (photography, surveying and drafting), Y. Nagar (physical anthropology), A. Golani (scientific guidance), S. Ganor (district archaeologist), O. Shmueli, N.-S. Paran and V. Lifshits (regional archaeologists) and laborers from Be’er Sheva‘ and Ofaqim.