The cave, hewn in soft chalk bedrock on the western slopes of the ‘Iron Hills, was used for burial in two separate periods, the Late Roman and the Mamluk. During the Late Roman period, the cave comprised a forecourt, originally sealed by a roll stone, and a burial chamber with burial troughs carved in three of its walls. Each trough contained the skeleton of one individual accompanied by burial gifts, including pottery vessels, Samaritan oil lamps, glass vessels and jewelry. The Mamluk phase included the remains of forty individuals that seem to have been hastily discarded there, perhaps due to a contagious disease. The burial goods from this phase included jewelry, knives, coin pendants and a glass plaque.