The Galilee
Boat, also known as the “Jesus Boat”, was discovered
in January 1986. During a major drought at the Sea
of Galilee, two brothers noticed a distinct oval
shape in the recently-revealed mud. The brothers
reported that when they found the boat, a double
rainbow appeared in the sky. Representatives of the
Israel Department of Antiquities, who were also
noting the emergence of previously unknown harbors
along the drought-stricken shoreline, confirmed that
it was the remains of an ancient fishing vessel.
The subsequent
archaeological dig was undertaken by the Antiquities
Authority. Pulling the boat from the mud without
damaging it — yet quickly enough to extract it
before the water rose again — was a delicate
process, lasting 12 days and nights. The boat then
had to be submerged in a chemical bath for 7 years
before it could be displayed. The boat has been
dated to the 1st century AD based on pottery and
nails found in association with the boat,
radiocarbon dating, and hull construction
techniques. Evidence of repeated repairs indicates
the boat was used for several decades, perhaps
nearly a century. When it was considered beyond
repair, all useful wooden parts were removed and the
remaining hull sunk to the bottom of the lake.
The Galilee
Boat is apparently the type of boat that was used on
the Sea of Galilee for both fishing and
transportation across the lake. It is likely that
this sort of boat was used by Jesus and his
disciples, many of whom were fishermen. Boats played
a large role in Jesus life and ministry — they are
mentioned 50 times in the Gospels!
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