1,300-Year-Old City Unearthed Beneath Winter Stadium Parking Lot in Ramat Gan

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority have uncovered a 1,300-year-old city beneath the Winter Stadium parking lot in Ramat Gan. The site, dating back to the 7th or 8th century during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, features a planned complex with intersecting streets, shops or warehouses, kilns, and industrial facilities. Researchers believe it was a major commercial and industrial station that operated for about 150 years before being abandoned for unknown reasons. The site was later resettled in the 10th century during the Fatimid period, with residential buildings and production facilities, before being deserted again in the late 11th century prior to the Crusader conquest.

The location near a main road connecting Jaffa, Ramla (then the district capital), and Jerusalem, as well as fertile agricultural land and water sources, suggests strategic importance. Excavations revealed numerous intact artifacts including pottery, oil lamps, bronze cosmetic tools, iron farming implements, coins, and glass fragments, reflecting the area's economic and cultural connections. Although the population's exact ethnic or religious identity remains unclear, the region historically hosted diverse Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Samaritan communities.

The excavation was conducted ahead of a planned large bus terminal construction by Netivei Ayalon company. On Wednesday, August 19, the site will open for a one-time public visit by prior registration before the remains are reburied for preservation. Authorities are considering displaying some artifacts publicly in the future. The dig directors, Dr. Yoav Arbel and Lior Rauchberger, noted the site's sophisticated engineering and possible official regional support in its establishment.