Fieldwork and Preliminary Results

In 2014 excavation was begun at Murayghat. Trench 1 and 2 were opened first on the main hill. However, work in these trenches had to be stopped after only seven days as the land owner forbade any further excavation.

Attention turned to three new trenches (3, 4 and 5), situated on a different land owners property north of the central hill. These trenches exposed substantial architecture (walls, activity surfaces, a platform and a pit) and ceramic material dated mainly to the Middle Bronze Age.

The survey of the central hill and the surrounding hills was begun in 2014. The aim was to collect material and to document stone structures and other features in the landscape.

The area on and around the central hill was divided into areas (areas 1-6). The central hill was numbered area 1 and a grid of 10x10 m squares was laid out with the aim of undertaking an intensive systematic survey on the entire hill.

Survey was also begun in areas 3 and 5 towards the northern and southern quarry. Additionally, it was decided to document dolmens in area 6, due to the rapid speed of expansion of the southern quarry. 

During the 2015 season excavation continued in trench 3 and 4. Trench 3 was expanded towards north and additional architectural features in the form of walls and the extension of the platform found in 2014 was excavated. Five phases and possibly a pre-settlement phase were identified in trench 3.

Ceramic material consisted of a mixture of Middle Bronze Age with an increasing component of Early Bronze Age material towards lower layers. Trench 4 was likewise expanded towards north and south to investigate wall 1 uncovered in 2014.

Surfaces identified as activity surfaces were recorded and another wall was located at the north western corner of the trench. In total four phases were identified in trench 4.

Additionally, excavation of a collapsed dolmen structure was begun in the newly defined trench 6. The excavation revealed few finds, but a stone bowl, ceramics (Early Bronze Age) and a few bones which may be human distal phalanges were recovered.

The survey work documenting the central hill and the dolmens on the surrounding hills continued in 2015. The survey on the central hill documented part of the stone structures (walls and orthostat arrangements).

By the end of the season approximately 20% of the central hill had been surveyed. On the hills surrounding the central hill survey continued in area 3 and 5, where surface collections of ceramics and flint along with documentation of structures (e.g. dolmens) was completed.

The survey was expanded to area 4 and 7, where more dolmens were recorded. In area 7 some of the largest dolmens documented at Murayghat were recorded along with the locally renowned standing stone, the Hajr al-Mansub.