Photography: Prof K R Dark (via the BBC)
An ancient crypt, located beneath the remains of a Byzantine church in modern-day Israel, has been identified as the possible site of Jesus’s childhood home.
The University of Reading’s Professor Ken Dark rediscovered the dwelling, which had been largely forgotten in later years despite being first uncovered in the 19th century. Located in Nazareth, the home sits beneath a modern-day convent built on a rocky hillside.
Dark began examining the site in 2006 – as part of research into the city’s history as a pilgrimage centre – and exploring archives and objects related to the house. He says historical written evidence shows the church was believed to have been constructed on the site of Jesus’s home, which is located in its crypt.
The dwelling itself dates back to the 1st century and would have been carved by a master stoneworker. Dark has expressed surprise at his findings, and although he admits there’s no conclusive proof, he told the BBC it’s ‘as close as we will probably ever get.’
