New Archaeological Evidence on Ancient Capernaum

New Archaeological Evidence on Ancient CapernaumAuthor(s): Vasillios TzaferisSource: The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 46, No. 4 (Dec., 1983), pp. 198-204Published by: The American Schools of Oriental ResearchStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3209778 .

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BY MSILLIOS TZAFERIS

198 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGISTIDECEMBER 1983

New Arclpaeological

Ev id e n c e o n A n c ie n t

CAPERNA UM



New archaeological evidence from Capernaum requires a revision of the

accepted historscal facts.

General plan of the Greek section of Capernaum. Note its relation to the Franciscan section.

naum during the Roman and Early Byzantine periods (first through sixth centuries A.D.} has finally been docu- mented with some certainty. Hence, the synagogue has now been dated securely to the late fourth or early fifth century on the basis of new archaeological evidence uncovered by Franciscan excavations.

In addition, the octagonal Chris- tian church, partly surveyed and ex- cavated in 1905 and 1921 by the Franciscan father Dr. Gaudence Orfali, has been shown to be constructed over the place traditionally regarded as the site of St. Peter's house. Therefore, the archaeological excavations of the Franciscans have revealed that the synagogue and the church were built at approximately the same time and that they stood side by side for over 200 years until

Holy Land. These excavations are still in progress and have provided considerable evidence for dating the establishment of the synagogue and the church.

Recent Excavations in the Greek Section

The previously accepted theory, based on architectural and artistic aspects, that the synagogue had served the community during the second and third centuries A.D., has been refuted by new findings, and in- deed, the entire history of Caper-

The ruins of ancient Caper- naum, situated on the northwestem shore of the Sea of Galilee, and espe-

cially the remains of its magnificent Jewish and Christian sanctuaries, are fascinating when viewed within the framework of the historical and theo- logical controversy surrounding the site. The controversy began soon after the Franciscan fathers Virgilio Corbo and Stanislao Loffreda initiat- ed archaeological excavations in 1969 in the section of the site belonging to the Franciscan Custody of the

BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGIST/DECEMBER 1983 199



structed huts that were probably once used for seasonal fishing. The first attempt by the Greek Ortho- dox Church to put the site to some use was in 1931, when the patri- arch Damianus built a small church and a winter residence, which still exist at the site. These buildings were used for only a few years and were subsequently abandoned. In 1975 the site came under the authority of the metropolitan Germanos, who restored the church, renovated the house near it, and made plans for trees and gar- dens to be cultivated around the buildings. He consulted the Israel Department of Antiquities, and it was subsequently decided to con- duct archaeological soundings in the area before any work was undertaken.

Thus in October 1978 excavations were begun in the Greek section of Capernaum, and they have continued without interruption for five seasons. The excavations have been conducted on behalf of the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums, with full financial support of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem. In the third season, Notre Dame University of Indiana participated in the work, and in the fourth season Averett College of Virginia assisted by send- ing a group of students and providing financial help. The final season in 1982 was carried out with the full participation of all four in- stitutions, and a group of students from Missouri State University also took part.

The first season's efforts were concentrated on a comprehensive survey of the area in order to define the boundaries of the site and the nature of the ruins. The results were promising, and it became clear that extensive architectural and cultural remains existed under the surface.

One of the most interesting discoveries of the season was a two- meter-thick wall made of basalt

Aerial view of the ruins of the synagogue, residential areat and octagonal church in the Greek section of Capernaum. Photograph courtesy of Richard Cleave, Near Eastern Pictorial Archive, terusalem.

their final destruction and abandonment in the first half of the seventh century A.D.

Earlier archaeological findings presented by Father Corbo also have proved reliable regarding the history of Capernaum. The first settlement was established in the Early Roman period (first century B.C.), and it remained one of the most important towns in the region of the Sea of Galilee from that period until early medieval times. The results ob- tained from these excavations indicate that the entire settlement came to an abrupt end in the first half of the seventh century A.D. and was never rebuilt except for temporary seasonal occupations. This would tend to confirm the doom spoken by Jesus: "And thou Caper- naum, which is exalted unto Heaven, shall be brought down to Hell" {Matthew 11:23).

New archaeological evidence, however, requires a revision of the accepted historical facts. The ancient site of Capernaum is divided into two sections of almost equal size, one belonging to the Francis-

can Custody of the Holy Land and the other belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem. New excavations have revealed that the western, Franciscan section comprises only the early town of Capernaum, just some 30 meters from the eastern, Greek section, the history of which dates exactly from the point where the first ends, thereby continuing the history of the earlier site.

The two sections are divided by a stone wall, constructed when the land was purchased by the Francis- can Custody and the Greek Ortho- dox Church. No one imagined then that the wall represented a mean- ingful separation between two his- torically consecutive sites.

The "Greek section" of Caper- naum comprises an area of about 20,000 square meters, extending along the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee. The site was totally neglected until the 1930s, partly because none of the magnificent ancient structures were apparent on the surface; the only visible remains were those of poorly con-

200 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGIST/DECEMBER 1983



General view of the public building in area C of the Greek section. The building dates from the Late Byzantine period, the seventh through tenth centuries A.D.

boulders; it extends in a fairly straight line along the waterfront from the Franciscan section and it bounds the entire length of the Greek property on the lake. This wall does not have the appearance of a fortification, but rather seems to be a jetty to prevent water from penetrating into the settlement. In addition, it probably provided a safe harbor for fishing boats, as is evident from the shape of the dock, where two sections of the wall about 20 meters apart turn at right angles and extend on a parallel line about 25 meters into the water on the eastern side of the jetty to form a pier. In area D, not far from the pier, ruins of a massive building consisting of indoor pools were uncovered. The building probably served as a fish market. The entire complex seems to confirm the theory that the jetty and pier were built to provide anchorage and ser- vices for fishermen.

The excavations during the second season concentrated in area C in the southeastern part of the site, where a large structure was completely cleared. This building had remained in use for about 350 years, and five distinctive phases were noted, dating from the Late Byzantine period in the first half of the seventh century to the middle of the tenth century A.D.

The building originally consist- ed of two side rooms and a large in- ner courtyard which was entered from the south and west. It was undoubtedly constructed for public use, although in subsequent occupations it was renovated for domes- tic use. In the whole area investi- gated, remains of foundation walls were found directly over an occupation level containing pottery of the Early Roman period ifirst century A.D.>; the occupation level was lying directly on virgin soil. No evidence of Late Roman or Byzantine tsecond through late sixth centuries} occupation was found in this area of excavation.

of ;fEvi *@i:>4000 '&Xs >'ft,g w., &s ' ' s t0es

Remains of a building from the Late Byzantine period in area B of the Greek section. Copyright r0000 ;zg; s-Niv*4sA + '' t

by Zev Radovan.

The same historical picture was revealed in area B, southwest of area A, where another large building with similar occupational phases was uncovered. Here also, the ceramic finds indicate that the

first settlement was established in the seventh century, and there are no finds to support an occupation prior to this period.

During the three excavation seasons from 1980 through 1982,


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The hoard of gold dinars found beneath one of the stone slabs in a building floor in area A.

Levels V and IV in area A of the Greek section. Notice the huge rock blocking one of the streets; the rock must have rolled in from out of town as a result of the earthquake of 748 A.D.

Copyright by the Department of Antiquities} Ministry of Education and Culture} State of Israel.

with stone slabs of varying sizes and shapes. Beneath one of these slabs in building A was discovered a hoard of 282 gold Ummayad dinars, providing valuable chronological data.

Signs of a violent destruction, probably caused by the earthquake in 748 A.D., were evident throughout level IV, and included piles of fallen building stones and a debris layer more than a meter thick. In one case, a huge rock completely blocked a street; the rock must have rolled in from outside the town.

The orientation and plan of the level-III city, dated to the Abassid period jmid-eighth through mid- ninth centuries A.D.), were changed completely from those of the pre- ceding one. New structures blocked streets, leaving only narrow pas- sages. The new houses were small- er, each consisting of two to three rooms. The general quality of the architectural remains and ceramic finds seem to indicate the begin- ning of the decline of Capernaum.

In the two upper levels III and I, dated to the mid-ninth through

work focused on area A, located at the summit of the site. A well- defined stratigraphical sequence was established in this area, consisting of five settlement phases covering a period of about 350 years, from the early seventh through the mid-tenth century A.D.

Details of the city plan in the var- ious phases were identified here.

The earliest phase, level V, dates to the first half of the seventh century A.D. and consists of a well- organized city plan, with two- meter-wide straight roads that are flanked by large well-constructed and plastered buildings. As in other areas of the site, the remains of level V rested on a thin layer of occupational debris containing only Early Roman pottery, and beneath it lay red virgin soil-the terra fosa

that is characteristic of the area. No archaeological evidence at all was found relating to the Late Roman and Byzantine periods.

Level IV was dated on the basis of ceramic and numismatic evidence to the Early Islamic period (mid-seventh through mid-eighth centuries A.D.). The same general principle of the city plan was car-

ried over into this period, although new structures and other modifica- tions were added in several places. The most characteristic feature of this level was the regular stone pav- ing which appeared everywhere; it covered the earlier plastered floors

BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGISTIDECEMBER 1983 202



The unusual size and magnificence of the synagogue indicate a large and prosperous Jewish community, supported by trade,

fishing, and agriculture.

This drawing, from G. R Orfali7s Capharnaum et ses Ruines, reconstructs the Capemaum synagogue as it would have appeared when viewed from the southeast. The synagogue is now dated securely to the late fourth or early fifth century A.D.

Historical Implications As a result of these recent investi- gations, serious new historical prob- lems have arisen concerning the fate of the earlier inhabitants of Capernaum, the causes of the destruction of the Christian sanctuary and the magnificent synagogue, and the abandonment of the town as a whole.

In order to answer these ques- tions adequately, we must keep in mind three important facts about the Roman-Early Byzantine occupation of Capernaum: First of all, Capernaum was almost entirely Jewish until the fifth and sixth cen-

mid-tenth centuries1, the signs of economic deterioration become more evident. Sometime during the tenth century, but prior to the arrival of the Crusaders, the town was abandoned and never resettled.

From this new evidence it is now clear that at a distance of only a few meters from the ruins of the synagogue, an entirely new settlement was established, almost completely on virgin soil, during the first half of the seventh century, shortly before the arrival of the Arabs. The majority of the new- comers were apparently Christians,

although this is based solely on archaeological finds such as oil lamps and ceramic plates decorated with crosses, a glass gem bearing the in- itials of Jesus Christ (the mono- grammatic combination of the Greek letters iota and chil, and other small finds. The synagogue was not rebuilt, and the Christian sanctuary, which had been constructed over the traditional house of St. Peter, was not reused. Instead, a new church was probably built, dedicated to St. John the Theolo- gus, and mentioned in Christian itineraries subsequent to the Arab occupation of the Holy Land.




turies, except for a small group of Christians-mainly Judeo-Chris- tians-who settled there in the first and second centuries A.D.

Second, the unusual size and magnificence of the synagogue indicate a large and prosperous Jewish community, supported by trade, fishing, and agriculture. The archaeological evidence from the excavations of the Franciscans sup- ports a date in the fourth or fifth century for the building of the synagogue, perhaps as a reaction to the large-scale construction of magnificent churches throughout the Holy Land during the fourth and fifth CentUrieS A.D.

Third, the location of this church in close proximity to the synagogue must not necessarily be accepted as proof for the existence of a large, or even small, Christian community. The peculiar plan and unusual features of the church, such as a baptismal font situated within the apse, seem to indicate a building intended for commemora- tion of a holy site (the house of St. Peter), rather than for the ritual needs of the community. The building was probably erected under pressure from the Christian political or ecclesiastical authorities.

From these conclusions based on archaeological evidence, we may approach some of the historical events in the Holy Land during the first three decades of the seventh century; these may clarify the events at Capernaum.

Undoubtedly, the most dramat- ic disruption of Christian life was caused by the Persian invasion in 614 A.D. and the subsequent fifteen- year occupation. An immediate result was the elimination of Byzantine-Christian rule; this led to an increase in religious and nation- alist aspirations among the local non-Christian population, which was hostile to Byzantine authority. Among these groups were the Jews, who viewed the Persian invasion as

an opportunity to free themselves from the oppressive Byzantine domination.

To this end, the Jewish population cooperated with the Persian troops against the Christians. Con- temporary literary sources mention a treaty of friendship and coopera- tion contracted between the Jews and the Persian invaders. Whether verifiable or not, it is probable that the Jews participated in the destruction of many Christian churches and sites, in particular those located in areas with large Jewish communities, especially in Galilee.

If the Persian army penetrated the Holy Land from the north, through Damascus, the Golan, and Tiberias, then Capernaum would have been one of the first sites to be affected. It was probably at this time that the Jewish population of the town, under the protection of the Persian troops, demolished the church and other Christian places. These buildings were never rebuilt, and the small Judeo-Christian community may have also been extir- pated during the course of the devastation. This group had always been an object of condemnation by the orthodox Jewish community, as a rotten branch which should have been cut off long before. Until the seventh century, they were tolerated because of Christian domination.

The Byzantines, however, recov- ered in the spring of 629 A.D., and the emperor Heraclius triumphant- ly entered the Holy Land with his troops, seeking revenge for the devastation of Christian sites and communities. Capernaum was again one of the first sites to be affected, as Heraclius followed the same route as the Persian troops fifteen years before. It was probably these Byzantine troops that demolished the synagogue and expelled or even exterminated the Jewish inhabitants. Hence, both the Christian sanctuary and the Jewish synagogue came to a violent end within a span of fifteen years. The remainder

of the town was also destroyed, abandoned, and never resettled.

Immediately following these events and during the short period of the Byzantine recovery of the Holy Land, a new town with an entirely different plan was constructed to the east of the earlier one, prior to the arrival of the Arabs. This historical picture corresponds to the archaeological evidence uncovered by both the Franciscan and the Greek excavations. As we have seen, the earliest phase (level V) in the Greek section was dated to the first half of the seventh century, prior to the Arab occupation. This level consists of limited occupational debris only, reflecting a short period of settlement.

The excavations, however, have not yet revealed information regarding the new population of Caper- naum, and it is not known whether they were all new settlers or perhaps partly survivors from the earlier, destroyed town.

Suggestions for Further Reading Corbo, V.

1969 The House of St. Peter at Caphar- naum: A Preliminary Report of the First lWo Campaigns of Excava- tions. Publication of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. No. 5. feru- salem: Franciscan Printing Press.

1975 Cafarnao I: Gli Edifici della Citta. Publication of the Studium Bibli- cum Franciscanum. No. 19. ferusa- lem: Franciscan Printing Press.

Loffreda, S. 1973 The Late Chronology of the Syna-

gogue of Capernaum. Israel Explor- ation [ournal 23: 37-42.

Meyers, E., and Strange, J. F. 1981 Archaeology, The Rabbis, and Early

Christianity: The Social and His- torical Setting of Palestinian tuda- ism and Christianity. Nashville: Abingdon.

Orfali, P. G. 1922 Capharnaum et ses Ruines: Dapres

les fouilles accomplies a Tell-Houm par la custodie Franciscaine de terre sainte (1905-1921). Paris: Auguste Picard.

Sapir, B., and Neeman, D. 1967 Capernaum; History and Legacy,

Art and Architecture. Tel-Aviv: The Historical Sites Library N1/9.

204 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGIST/DECEMBER 1983



Documents

New Archaeological Evidence on Ancient Capernaum