Bull and Campbell (1968:4–6) reported on their excavations at Tell er-Ras, situated on a north-trending ridge extending from the summit of Mount Gerizim and overlooking Tell Balata (ancient Shechem). There they identified the remains of a temple complex dedicated to Zeus, which they proposed was constructed during the visit of Emperor Hadrian to Palestine around 130 CE.

Adjacent to Wall 12,000, which enclosed Buildings A and B (interpreted as components of the Zeus Temple complex), Bull and Campbell (1968:15–17) uncovered six cisterns, three of which were excavated. In Cistern II, a 0.15 m layer of black silt was overlain by 0.20 m of "compact fine grey silt." These deposits, "containing a large quantity of pottery, glass fragments, coins, and other artifacts," were sealed beneath a destruction deposit measuring 1.10 m thick, described as "loose grey earth containing architectural fragments, vaulting, and building stones." Forty-three dateable coins recovered from the silty layers ranged from the reign of Severus Alexander (222–235) to Julian II (360–363), providing a terminus post quem of 360 CE for the destruction layer. Cisterns I and VI displayed comparable stratigraphic sequences.

Bull and Campbell (1968:16) observed that the cisterns abutted and therefore postdated Wall 12,000, originally part of the Zeus Temple complex. They further noted ( 1968:6) that "late and often confusing Samaritan records" indicate the Temple to Zeus was already in ruins by the reign of Julian II (360–363), suggesting that the cisterns had fallen out of use and begun to silt up prior to 363 CE.