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‘Atiqot 87 (2016)
ISBN 2948-040X
A Villa and a Pottery Kiln from the Late Roman–Byzantine Periods at ‘En Ya‘al (Nahal Refa’im), Jerusalem
(with a contribution by Anat Cohen-Weinberger)
(Hebrew, pp. 71*–119*; English summary, pp. 107–110)
Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah
Keywords: Floor tiles, bricks, hot-air ventilation pipe, tubulus, bathhouse, earthquake, petrography, spoilers, Tenth Legion, art, updraft kiln
The excavation on the northern bank of Nahal Refa’im in Jerusalem unearthed the remains of three occupation phases: architectural remains from the late Hellenistic or Early Roman period (Stratum III); part of a Roman villa (Stratum II); and a pottery kiln from the Late Roman–Early Byzantine periods (Stratum I). Sections of two rooms belonging to the Roman villa were exposed; the southern room was decorated with colored wall paintings, and its floor was adorned with mosaics. The villa may have been part of an estate granted to a Roman army veteran or officer. Above the ruins of the villa, a pottery workshop was constructed. Intact and broken pottery vessels were found inside the firing box, mainly of two types, platters and jar lids, suggesting that they were produced at the workshop.