On the weekend of 20 May 2022, the camp of Josephus’ force was discovered at the convergence of Kela Valley and the Jordan River by a team from the Bethsaida Excavations Project of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). At the urgence of Dr. Carl Savage (Northwind Seminary) who had noted for many years the … More Josephus military camp found
A small expedition led by Dr. Rami Arav (University of Nebraska at Omaha, Religious Studies) and Dr. Carl Savage (Northwind Seminary, Professor of Archaeology and Biblical Studies), and included master’s student Ann Haverkost (University of Nebraska at Omaha, History) and undergraduate Itai Savage (Princeton University), discovered an 11th – 10th century BCE city wall during the … More 11C Wall at Bethsaida
The dates for our May 2022 session at Bethsaida are 15 to 29 May. We have reserved 5 to 10 rooms at Kibbutz Gadot Country Lodging from May 15 to May 29. Potential participants should contact Rami Arav directly to coordinate rooming list. All participants are expected to arrive at Kibbutz Gadot Country Lodging on … More May 2022 Session
The Israel Antiquities Authority has just issued a licence for excavations to resume at Et-Tell (Bethsaida) and continue until 31 December. At this stage, there is a short (two week) season planned for the final half of May: 19-30 May. As soon as we have details about accommodation packages and costs for participants this will … More IAA Licence for 2022
We are planning for a brief two week session at the Bethsaida Excavation during the second half of December: 15–31 December 2021. Places are limited, but there are a handful of places available at this stage. Accommodation has been reserved at Gadot Kibbutz Gadot in the Hula Valley. Early expressions of interest are essential due … More December 2021 Session
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will not be an excavation season at Bethsaida in June 2020. We anticipate that the 2021 season will proceed as normal. Thank you for your understanding.
The Stratum VI stele stone, discovered during excavations at Bethsaida in May 2019, is just under 66 cm long. A plastic reproduction of this significant artefact is now available. At just under 20 cm the reproduction is almost 1/3 scale. See the framed example below. The reproduction utilises 3D digital technology to create a computer … More Reproduction Bethsaida Stele
The twenty-first annual Batchelder Conference for Archaeology and Biblical Studies will take place during November 14–16, 2019, at the Thompson Center of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The conference will host two keynote speakers and 14 presenters in two days of deliberation on archaeology and biblical studies. Call for Papers You are invited … More 2019 Batchelder Conference
A new video features the excavations at Bethsaida during the 2019 season. These included a “high place” adjacent to the 11th-century city entrance, including another example of the moon-god stele.
The Jerusalem Post of 6 June 2019 carried a brief report on the discovery of a city gate dating to the eleventh century BCE, making it contemporary with the biblical dates for David and Solomon. Since this was not an Israelite city (as evidenced by the moon-god stele, another example of which was also found this … More 11C BCE city gates found at et-Tell
Bethsaida Excavations Project 