Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a sprawling 1,300-year-old commercial and industrial complex in Ramat Gan, revealing an unexpectedly well-planned network of streets, shops, storage rooms, kilns and production facilities.

The discovery was made during Israel Antiquities Authority excavations in the parking area near Winter Stadium ahead of construction of a major bus terminal by Netivei Ayalon.

Dr. Yoav Arbel and Lior Rauchberger, excavation directors for the Israel Antiquities Authority, said ancient structures had previously been discovered in the area, but the scale and organization of the latest findings exceeded expectations.

Archaeologists uncovered straight, intersecting streets lined with rooms believed to have served as shops or warehouses, along with plastered industrial installations and pottery kilns.

Researchers believe the primary complex was carefully planned in advance by engineers and constructed with the knowledge — and possibly the initiative and funding — of regional authorities.

Its location was likely strategic. The site stood near the major ancient road connecting Yaffo, Ramla and Yerushalayim, with Ramla serving as the regional capital at the time. Archaeologists believe the complex may have been located along a secondary route branching off the main road, with fertile agricultural land and accessible water sources nearby.

Researchers say the site may have functioned as a major commercial and industrial station or could have been part of a larger nearby settlement that has yet to be discovered.

The complex was originally constructed during the seventh or eighth century and remained active for approximately 150 years before being abandoned for reasons that remain unknown.

The area was resettled during the 10th century, when homes and additional production facilities were built and numerous clay tabun ovens were installed. The settlement was abandoned again toward the end of the 11th century, shortly before the Crusader conquest, and was never resettled.

Beyond the impressive structures, archaeologists uncovered dozens of intact pottery vessels and oil lamps, bronze tableware and cosmetic utensils, iron pickaxe heads, a sickle, nails, dozens of coins and large quantities of locally produced and imported pottery and glass fragments.

The discoveries provide researchers with a rare glimpse into commerce, industry and everyday life in Eretz Yisroel more than a millennium ago.

The original complex dates to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, while the later residential settlement dates to the Fatimid period. Researchers noted that Eretz Yisroel’s population during those centuries included Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Samaritan communities, although no findings at the site have yet conclusively identified the religious or ethnic background of its residents.

Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu said the discovery near a modern Ramat Gan neighborhood and well-known stadium once again demonstrates Israel’s extraordinary archaeological richness, where construction projects can unexpectedly open “fascinating windows” into distant periods of history.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)