Wayne Stiles has never recovered from his travels in the Holy Land. Follow him on Twitter (@WayneStiles) or on his blog at www.waynestiles.com.
“The Kinneret will give us a treasure one day,” one brother told another. Turns out, he was right.
In
1986, Yuval and Moshe Lufan, two sons of a fisherman in Kibbutz
Ginosar, were walking the shores of the Kinneret. The drought that year
dropped the level of the lake lower that the men had seen in years. One
brother noticed something odd protruding from the mud. An old nail. As
he poked around with his finger, he found another one. Then another.
More digging unearthed pieces of ancient wood.
While they didn’t realize it at the time, they had discovered a fishing boat that dated to the first century.
The
necessary permits obtained, archaeologists set to work excavating the
vessel. The manner of construction revealed a boat typical of the first
century. Assembled with mortise-and-tenon joinery, the boat was built
from oak as well as the resilient cedars of Lebanon—wood highly
impervious to rot. The construction, the nearby pottery, and three
independent carbon 14 dating examinations revealed that the boat dates
from 100 BC to AD 70. Apparently, the original owners of the boat
salvaged what they needed before scuttling the boat beneath the waves.
Archaeologists
dug a trench around the remains while keeping the wood moist by
spraying it with water. If the soft, spongy timbers dried out, they
would disintegrate. After bracing the boat with fiberglass, excavators
sprayed on polyurethane foam that hardened around each crevice of the
craft. Once dry, the foam served to support the fragile vessel as well
as allow it to float. Archaeologists flooded the trench, and the
boat—free at last from the mud—floated on the Kinneret for the
first time in two thousand years.
The process of preserving the
boat occurred over the course of several years. Scientists soaked a
synthetic wax into the pores of the planks. The wax stopped any further
deterioration that would occur as the wood contacted the air.
Visitors
can see this amazing find today in a state-of-the-art museum named in
honor of the late Yigal Allon—a former deputy prime minister, a Palmach
officer, and a founding member of Kibbutz Ginosar. The museum tells the
story of the boat’s discovery through a video presentation, photos and
descriptions, as well as a scale model of how the boat would have
appeared in its prime. The ancient boat itself, along with the pottery
and nails, sits on display, ready for visitors to enjoy.
Many
people may not know that the museum also offers the IDF important
studies and analyses related to military strategies, including awareness
of current and future threats to the security of Israel. In addition,
the museum serves as the office and laboratory for the Bethsaida
Excavations Project.
Because the ancient boat dates from the time of Jesus of Nazareth, some
have sensationally dubbed the vessel, “The Jesus Boat.” Indeed, the
seven- by twenty-six foot vessel could have held up to fifteen
individuals, and it offers visitors a firsthand look the kind of boat
Jesus and his twelve disciples would have sailed. The Bible refers to
boats of this kind playing a major role in the ministry of Jesus, with
more than a half-dozen references in Mark’s gospel alone (Mark 1:19;
3:9; 4:1; 4:36–37; 5:2; 5:18; 6:32; 6:45–51; 8:10–14). The Jesus Boat
Foundation is developing a 900-seat indoor theater at the museum that
will feature a dramatic multimedia presentation of Jesus’ Galilean
ministry.
A small snack bar offers ice cream and sodas for visitors, and the gift
shop sells art photos, Christian wall hangings, movies, music, audio
books, Messianic gifts, and books. I purchased my copy of O Jerusalem! there.
What to Do There:
Visit the museum and enjoy all it offers. Step outside on the dock near
the Kinneret, and read two examples of boats of this type playing a role
in the life of Jesus; read Mark 4:35-41 and 6:45-51.
How to Get There:
From Tiberias, head north on Route 90 to the Yigal Allon Museum at Nof Ginosar.
Wayne Stiles has never recovered from his travels in the Holy Land. Follow him on Twitter (@WayneStiles) or on his blog at www.waynestiles.com.