the cistern

On December 21, "just in time for Christmas," archaeologists discovered the remains of a dwelling in Nazareth, Israel that could be a clue to Jesus' lifestyle. The team unearthed a wall, courtyard, hideout, and a water system that channeled rainwater from the roof into a cistern for the family's water supply. Evidence dates the humble dwelling back to when Jesus lived in Nazareth, then a small village of 50 impoverished families.

"This may well have been a place that Jesus and his contemporaries were familiar with," said archaeologist Yardena Alexandre. A young Jesus may have played around the house with his cousins and friends. "It's a logical suggestion."

The discovery was made when builders dug up the courtyard of a former convent to make room for a new Christian center, just yards from the Basilica of the Annunciation. "They say if the people do not speak, the stones will speak," said the Rev. Jack Karam of the Basilica.

Archaeologists also found clay and chalk vessels typically used by Galilean Jews of that time to ensure the ritual purity of the food and water kept inside the vessels.

"For me it is a great gift," said Karam of the discovery.

Read more about it here.