Here is a recent find I wasn't aware of that is drawing scholarly attention, but seems mired in politics. The site has apparently been sealed, but the early professional opinions suggest it to be an early Roman site in the city of Nazareth - actually a bath near what is thought to be Mary's well mentioned in a non-canonical gospel; this account of where the Annunciation occured is apparently followed by the Greek Orthodox. This claim, if supported by future digs showing a site dated to the time of Jesus, would bring more attention to the disagreement between Catholic and Orthodox authorities as to the true location of that miracle.

But the real weight of the discovery seems to be in providing a better assessment of Nazareth as the home of Jesus before his ministry. Some authorities have claimed Nazareth didn't even exist at that time, while most state the town was a virtual hamlet - too small for mention by Josephus. Given the size and peculiar presentation of the bath, some are suggesting it recastes Nazareth's importance as equal to or greater than Sepphoris, perhaps being large enough to function as a Roman garrison. This is expected to have a major impact on how historians view Jesus' later teachings in their cultural context, such as how they understand His upbringing and early education.



Well, I can't get the link to work, but google "Is This Where Jesus Bathed?" It's a column from the publication "The Guardian."

w.c., I found an article from 2003 -- is this the one you meant?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl...ch.artsandhumanities

Googling the fellow's name shows he has now set up a website for the bathhouse, though it looks as though he has made no progress on his excavation idea since that article was published in 2003:

http://www.nazarethbathhouse.org/en/AboutUs.htm

Still, it's certainly intriguing to think that the Holy Family may have bathed here.

Yes Derek, that's the one.

It's hard to say how much of the hold up is money and how much politics. Of course, lack of political approval makes the money scarce, or useless even if given.

I can see where Ann Rice may have found some of her information for her literature reviews on the area for her "Christ the Lord" series.