Six seasons of excavations (1992 - 1997) took place at the site under the direction of Mordechai Aviam on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and William Scot Green of The University of Rochester NY. David Adan of Bar Ilan University was co-director in the first three seasons. Douglas Edwards of the University of Puget Sound, Washington, was co-director in the first season.
The excavations revealed the remains of a small Galilean town built on the eastern steep slope of the hill and on its southern plateau in the Second Temple Period. Simple houses were uncovered, as well as cisterns, ovens, potter’s kilns, and Miqve installations (Jewish ritual bath). The small finds included Pottery, stone vessels and coins. Vivid evidence of the great battle that took place in the summer of 67 CE were found all over the site, especially in the north, the area described by Josephus Flavius as being the main battle field. More than a hundred arrowheads, fifty ballista stones, and dozens of catapult arrowheads were uncovered during the excavations. In the 1997 season, we uncovered the remains of a house adorned with beautiful frescoes, both on the walls and on the floor. Human remains - bones and skulls - were evidence of the Jewish defenders of the town, probably buried by their relatives some years after the major destruction.
Of special interest is a square stone slab measuring 10x10 cm., decorated with symbols of death - a mausoleum and trees of life, and the cancer - the zodiac symbol of the month of Tamuz (July) - were probably the work of a citizen anticipating the end of the siege. Yodefat fell on the first day of Tamuz (20 July).