DESCRIPTION:

Excavations on top and on the south flank of the hill had revealed that, during its occupation, the village extended westwards, but what happened on the northern flank and what about the enclosure walls? In order to answer these questions, new excavations were carried out along the slope between 2005-2009.

THE FIRST ENCLOSURE WALL

Trenches 2, 3 and 4 revealed that the early village extended all over the hill and that it was entirely surrounded by a wall. Like on top of the hill, the first enclosure wall consists of a massive earthen structure faced with stones.

THE SECOND ENCLOSURE WALL

The second wall enclosing the later village was uncovered in trench 1 where it overlaps earlier buildings. Its outline shows that, simultaneously to the extension of the village towards the west, half of the northern slope, particularly sensitive to erosion because of its steepness, was abandoned.

THE LAST OCCUPATION OF THE VILLAGE

Buildings uncovered in trench 1 illustrate the last phase of the village: the enclosure walls are abandoned and the village spreads freely on the hill. The northern slope is reoccupied and houses are built over the eroded remains of the ancient limit.