8 5 , ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁Se asons : ▁He aded ▁by ▁Ben - T or ▁and ▁Yu val ▁Portug ali . ▁The ▁Iron ▁and ▁Bron ze ▁Age ▁layers ▁were ▁studied ▁during ▁these ▁seasons . ▁Ex c av ation ▁of ▁the ▁Cr us ader ▁church ▁continued ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁season , ▁reve aling ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁an ▁earlier ▁By z antine ▁church ▁beneath . ▁▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Season : ▁He aded ▁by ▁Ben - T or . ▁Ex c av ations ▁reached ▁bed rock , ▁ident ifying ▁the ▁site ' s ▁earliest ▁known ▁traces , ▁from ▁the ▁Chal col ith ic ▁and ▁Early ▁Bron ze ▁Age . ▁ ▁From ▁July ▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Mi ri am ▁Av iss ar ▁directed ▁a ▁dig ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁Israel ▁Anti qu ities ▁Author ity . ▁Ex c av ations ▁un cover ed ▁the ▁areas ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁and ▁the ▁ac ropol is . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁structures ▁found ▁were ▁dated ▁to ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Cr us ades , ▁buried ▁under ▁minor ▁remains ▁from ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁and ▁M aml uk ▁periods . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Nur it ▁Fe ig ▁of ▁the ▁Israel ▁Anti qu ities ▁Author ity ▁conducted ▁a ▁salv age ▁exc av ation ▁at ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁foot ▁of ▁the ▁m ound , ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁resident ial ▁expansion ▁of ▁Y ok ne am ▁Mos h ava . ▁The ▁remains