Welcome to Area T1! Positioned on the edge of the site’s north-west slope, this area offers a commanding view of the coastal plain and the Lydda Valley (Figure 1). Excavations spanning from 2019 to 2023 uncovered a rich timeline showing how humans have continuously interacted with and reshaped this landscape.

The story begins in the Late Hellenistic (Hasmonean) period (167‒37 BCE), when, around the early first century BCE, a massive royal engineering project was initiated. The force dominating the site decided to fundamentally change the natural topography of the hill by constructing a large, artificial earthen platform, labeled by us as the “podium”. To build this, they deliberately poured and stacked distinct layers of carefully chosen soil to form a stable base (Figure 2). As per the ongoing work at Area T2 , it seems that they intentionally covered an earlier massive fortification. Right on top of this newly created high ground, they constructed a thick-walled stone building, which most likely functioned as a small fortification or watchtower (go to the Publication page  for further information).

Fast forward to the Ottoman period (1517‒1918 CE) and the British Mandate of Palestine (1918–1948 CE), and the area’s purpose was completely transformed. At this time, the inhabitants of the village of el-Haditha utilized the area as a cemetery.

Finally, the most recent chronological phase brings us to the modern era, particularly the events surrounding 1948. Artifacts found near the surface, including a hand grenade used by the Haganah during the 1948 Israeli–Arab War, serve as a tangible reminder of the site’s recent historical significance. Today, the modern topography continues to be lightly modified by trails from contemporary off-road vehicles.