House dating back to time of Jesus is discovered in Nazareth
Archeologists have unearthed a house dating to the time of Jesus Christ in the town of Nazareth, casting fresh light on his early life.
The remains were found beneath a children's playground close to the Basilica of the Annunciation, which is believed to mark the spot where Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel.
It reveals a simple way of life with few frills or luxuries for the young Messiah.
Yardenna Alexandre, who led a team from the Israel Antiquities Authority, said the house would have been owned by Jesus's neighbours or extended family.
"It's the first house dating from the early Roman period to be discovered in Nazareth itself," she said.
"It would have been a small Jewish village in the time of Jesus, and most of the houses have been destroyed or covered up so this is a very significant find."
Thousands of Christians will converge on Bethlehem this week to mark the birth of Jesus.
But He spent most of his life in the Galilean town of Nazareth, home to Mary and Joseph.
It was there that the Angel Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to the Son of God.
Nazareth was a small village in Biblical times and is now known as the Arab capital of Israel, with a population of more than 65,000 people.
Pilgrims flock to see shrines associated with Joseph's carpentry workshop or the site where Jesus is said to have dined with the Apostles after the resurrection.
Archaeologists began excavating the site ahead of plans to build a museum.
They found two rooms, a courtyard and a cistern that would have filled with rainwater, along with a few shards of local pottery and the remains of chalk lamps.
"It tells us there were few luxuries, no imports," said Alexandre. "It would have been a simple, basic way of life." The site will now be preserved as part of the Christian museum.
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