An ancient underground quarry in the Jordan Valley was discovered in 2009 by University of Haifa archeologists.

[1][3] Others, while admitting the possibility that the quarry could have been associated with monastic activity, claimed that the etched crosses alone cannot confirm the existence of a church, since they may have been made by random pilgrims, which was a common phenomenon at the time.

[6] Adam Zertal, who led the expedition, contends that the spot may mark the ancient site named Galgala.

Referring to the Byzantine era Madaba map, he notes a site called Galgala is depicted next to an inscription that reads "Dodekaliton", which translates as "Twelve Stones".

Zertal suggests that the meaning of "Twelve Stones" relates to the biblical verses that describe the twelve stones that the Children of Israel placed in Gilgal and may be understood as a reference to the quarry that was dug in the place the Byzantines identified as Gilgal.