Archaeologists uncovered a first-century fishing boat in the Sea of Galilee, linking it to Gospel accounts of Jesus calming the storm and walking on water.
A 2,000-year-old wooden boat discovered in the Sea of Galilee has been linked by archaeologists to the Gospel accounts of Jesus walking on water. The cedar-planked vessel, dubbed the “Jesus Boat,” was unearthed in 1986 during a severe drought that exposed the lake’s shoreline near Magdala.
Biblical archaeology expert Danny Herman told the Daily Mail: “It’s a 2,000-year-old boat from the Sea of Galilee, the type mentioned in the Gospels, and sized for about 12 people. You can actually connect it to one of the most famous stories every Christian knows.”
Carbon dating confirmed its first-century origin. Artifacts found nearby, including a cooking pot and an oil lamp, suggest it was used for night fishing, echoing Gospel narratives.
Excavated under urgent conditions, the fragile remains were preserved over 16 years and are now displayed at the Yigal Allon Museum. Herman noted, “While I can’t prove it’s the boat, it’s certainly the type used in that story.”