A 5,000-year-old settlement, offering a rare glimpse into the early urbanization process in Israel, was recently uncovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority near Beit Shemesh at the Horbat Husham site. The excavation was carried out in preparation for the expansion of the "Brosh" industrial zone, spearheaded by Shamir Engineering and the Beit Shemesh Economic Development Company.

The excavation revealed, among other finds, a public building that may have served a ritual function, with a room containing about 40 perfectly preserved vessels.

“It’s fascinating to think that these vessels were placed here just before the entire site was abandoned,” said the excavation directors from the Israel Antiquities Authority. “You can almost imagine the people leaving these items behind. While it’s unclear what happened in this room later on, there are signs of fire, and some vessels were found collapsed on top of each other. Scientific analysis of the contents of these vessels will provide further insight—perhaps we’ll find remnants of oil, water, wheat, or even exotic oils and other substances.”

The site also uncovered two of the earliest kilns ever found in Israel, used for pottery production.

The ancient settlement at Horbat Husham was first discovered in 2021 by archaeologists Marion Zindel and Nathan Ben-Ari from the Israel Antiquities Authority. Over the past three and a half years, the excavation has expanded, revealing the settlement’s full scope and significance in understanding the beginnings of urban development in the region.

This extraordinary discovery will be presented at the upcoming 17th Annual Conference on New Archaeological Discoveries in Jerusalem and its Environs, held this week at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.

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