Planned 7th-Century Industrial Hub Unearthed in Ramat Gan Ahead of Bus Terminal Construction
The Israel Antiquities Authority announced the discovery of a large, organized industrial and commercial complex dating to the 7th or 8th century A.D. in Ramat Gan, Israel. Uncovered during excavations for a new bus terminal, the site features planned streets, shops, warehouses, and pottery kilns. Excavation directors stated the findings exceeded expectations, suggesting the complex was engineered with regional authority support and operated for 150 years before being abandoned. Artifacts recovered include bronze tableware, iron tools, coins, and imported glass, offering insights into the trade and economy of the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. The site was later resettled in the 10th century with residential buildings and clay-baking ovens, but was abandoned again in the late 11th century before the Crusader arrival and never inhabited again. This discovery adds to a series of recent archaeological finds in Israel, including marble statues near Binyamina and a tunnel in Jerusalem.