Moẓa, Area J

During April–August 2017, a trial excavation was conducted to the south of the Mo z a bend on the former route of Highway 1 (Area J; Permit No. A-7987; map ref. 215550/633255; Fig. 1) prior to the construction of Highway 16, the rerouting of Highway 1 and the construction of a bridge. The excavations, undertaken by the Israel Antiquities Authority and financed by the Netivei Israel Company, were directed by A. Landes-Nagar (field photography, Marseille roof tiles), with the assistance of R. Chalaf (administration), R. Fister (area supervision), H. Khalaily (mega projects), V. Essman (surveying and drafting), E. Delerzon (location map and plans), A. Peretz (field photography), A. Wiegmann (aerial photography), S. Terem, Y. Rapuano and Y. Milevsky (pottery), Y. Gorin-Rosen and R. Lewis-Bloom (glass), I. Lidsky-Reznikov (digital documentation and finds drawing), K. Amit and D. Gazit (studio photography), L. Kupershmidt and I. Reznitsky (metallurgical laboratory), V. Nosikovsky (organic laboratory), G. Bijovsky and D.T. Ariel (numismatics), N. Marom (archaeozoology), I. Ktalav (malacology), R. Rosenthal-Heginbottom (identification of the goddess Victoria and fibula inscription), A. De Groot (warrior figurine), A. Paz (warrior figurine, mace head and stamped pottery handle), N. Weiler (mace-head stone identification), A. de Vincenz (pottery from the later periods), O. Shamir (pottery spindle whorl), B. Storchan (hobnail identification), N. Bashukevich (photo archive) and K. Arbiv, S. Mizrahi, Z. Matskevich, O. Chalaf and Y. Billig (probe trenches), as well as laborers from East Jerusalem and students from Boyer High School in Jerusalem.