In July–August 2018, a salvage excavation was conducted north of Bet Zayit (Permit No. A-8307; map ref. 215602–3/632733–972; Fig. 1), following the discovery of antiquities in probes dug prior to the laying of new section of the fifth water pipeline to Jerusalem. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Mekorot Water Company, was directed by N. Ben-Ari (field photography), with the assistance of N. Nehama, E. Bachar and Y. Lavan (administration), M. Kahan and V. Essman (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz (photography), E. Marco (preliminary probes, aerial photography and photogrammetry), C. Shliker, S. Dallasheh and O. Shalev (preliminary inspections), S. Hirschberg (antiquities inspection), A. Eirikh-Rose (GPS), M. Shemer (flints), A. De Groot, L. Freud and S. Kisilevitz (pottery), Y. Gorin-Rosen and T. Winter (glass) and A. Shadman (scientific guidance).
Natan Ben-Ari (2022) studied this question.