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RomanCath379
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NAZARETH, Israel—
Days before Christmas, archaeologists yesterday unveiled what they said were the remains of a home dating to the time of Jesus, a miraculous find that could shed light on what the place was like.
The dwelling and older discoveries of nearby tombs in burial caves suggest that Nazareth was an out-of-the-way hamlet of nearly 50 houses on a patch of about four acres.
It was evidently populated by Jews of modest means who kept camouflaged grottos to hide from Roman invaders, said archaeologist Yardena Alexandre, excavators director at the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Based on clay and chalk shards found at the site, the dwelling appeared to house a “simple Jewish family”, Alexandre added, as workers at the site carefully chipped away at mud with small pickaxes to reveal stone walls.
Nazareth holds a cherished place in Christianity. Jesus grew up there and an angel told Mary she would bear God’s Son.
This discovery, so close to Christmas, is exceptionally pleasing to us Christians.
Workers uncovered the first signs of the dwelling in the summer, but it only became clear this month that it was in fact a structure from the era of Christ.
The team found remains of a wall, a hideout, a courtyard and a water system that appeared to collect water from the roof and supply it to the home. the discovery was made when builders dug up the courtyard of a former convent to make room for a new Christian center.
-Associated Press
Days before Christmas, archaeologists yesterday unveiled what they said were the remains of a home dating to the time of Jesus, a miraculous find that could shed light on what the place was like.
The dwelling and older discoveries of nearby tombs in burial caves suggest that Nazareth was an out-of-the-way hamlet of nearly 50 houses on a patch of about four acres.
It was evidently populated by Jews of modest means who kept camouflaged grottos to hide from Roman invaders, said archaeologist Yardena Alexandre, excavators director at the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Based on clay and chalk shards found at the site, the dwelling appeared to house a “simple Jewish family”, Alexandre added, as workers at the site carefully chipped away at mud with small pickaxes to reveal stone walls.
Nazareth holds a cherished place in Christianity. Jesus grew up there and an angel told Mary she would bear God’s Son.
This discovery, so close to Christmas, is exceptionally pleasing to us Christians.
Workers uncovered the first signs of the dwelling in the summer, but it only became clear this month that it was in fact a structure from the era of Christ.
The team found remains of a wall, a hideout, a courtyard and a water system that appeared to collect water from the roof and supply it to the home. the discovery was made when builders dug up the courtyard of a former convent to make room for a new Christian center.
-Associated Press