NAZARETH VILLAGE

Since its inception the purpose of Nazareth Village has been to show pilgrims the Nazareth Jesus knew and deliver some of Jesus’ teachings within their original context. To do this, the planners of Nazareth Village conducted archaeological digs and consulted experts who could help peel back the 20 centuries of time, distance and culture that have often dulled and distorted our understandings.

Extensive archaeological excavations revealed that this remarkably preserved site is home to a 2,000-year-old wine press cut into the bedrock. This man-made basin where grapes were trod had a channel leading to a pit where the runoff juice was collected. The remains of a vineyard, watchtowers, terraces, spring-fed irrigation system and stone quarries tell the story of a working farm area just outside the original centre of ancient Nazareth. Pottery from as far back as the Early Bronze Age — more than 2,000 years before Christ — was also discovered on site.

The above archaeological work saw the team conduct field surveys of 20 past and current excavations and spend two years combing ancient texts. The result is a growing body of evidence regarding the farming and building techniques of Jewish agricultural villages in the Early Roman Period. Based on this work, the terraces were restored to their original condition and a Village was constructed that portrays first-century Nazareth as accurately as possible, using identical materials and building methods.

In the year 2000 Nazareth Village opened its doors to the world. Thousands of local school children flocked to learn about life in the time of Jesus and visitors from across the globe started arriving for the biblical experience of a lifetime. Today, more than 100,000 people from over 150 nations visit the Village each year.

Source: Nazareth Village Official Website