ARCHAEOLOGISTS THINK THEY MAY HAVE FOUND THE CITY JESUS WENT AFTER PERFORMING FISH AND LOAVES MIRACLE

A British archaeologist and his team believe they may have stumbled upon the ancient town of Dalmanutha, believed by some to be the place to which Jesus sailed after he performed the miracle of multiplying the fish and the loaves to feed 4,000 as described in the Gospel of Mark.

Live Science reports that University of Reading archaeologist Ken Dark discovered the town during a field survey near the Sea of Galilee in Israel.

In 1986, a boat believed to be about 2,000-years-old was found and – according to the British team – the discovery site was along the shore of the newly discovered town. After it was discovered, the boat was nicknamed the “Jesus Boat” even though there was no evidence linking Jesus to the vessel. It is believed to be the kind of boat Jesus, his disciples and the Jews living in the area would have used.



As it is written in the Gospel of Mark 8:8-10 (via English Standard Version), “And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.”

Live Science reports:

The evidence the team found suggests the town was prosperous in ancient times. “Vessel glass and amphora hint at wealth,” Dark wrote in an article published in the most recent edition of the journal Palestine Exploration Quarterly, while “weights and stone anchors, along with the access to beaches suitable for landing boats — and, of course, the first-century boat … all imply an involvement with fishing.”

The architectural remains and pottery suggest that Jews and those following a polytheistic religion lived side by side in the community. In addition, the researchers found that the southern side of the newly discovered town lies only about 500 feet (150 meters) away from another ancient town known as Magdala.