A salvage excavation carried by the Israel Antiquities Authority in Yiftahel, in the Lower Galilee, revealed the remains of two parallel walls, with a combined width of 2.5 meters, which was uncovered over a length of some 30 meters. The walls, constructed of trimmed blocks of limestone, were preserved to a height of one meter.
The remains are dated to the Early Bronze Age (end of the fourth millennium BCE). Remains from the same period were uncovered earlier at the site. Abundant water sources are located near the walls.
The director of the excavations for the IAA, Howard Smithline, said, “The new findings add a new dimension to our knowledge of the area. Both walls have a rounded corner built of massive stone blocks, indicating that a tower may have stood there in ancient times. If so, this may be an indication of the remains of fortifications, indicating that the nearby community was well-organized, with a social hierarchy.”
If these are indeed the remains of ancient fortifications, this is the earliest such evidence uncovered to date in Israel.