Ancient stone with mystery carvings from 1,700yrs ago found in Biblical region where Jesus ‘walked on water’
Ancient stone with mystery carvings from 1,700yrs ago found in Biblical region where Jesus ‘walked on water’
Share:
A MYSTERIOUS stone carved nearly 1,700 years ago has been unearthed in a region rich with Biblical history, where Jesus is said to have walked on water. The volcanic slab, inscribed with Ancient Greek, may rewrite what we know about the Roman Empire’s reach — and the towns it controlled.
![[Two ancient stone tablets with inscriptions.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/holy-moses-ancient-stone-mystery-966560734.jpg?strip=all&w=500)
Scientists say that the basalt stone, unearthed in Upper Galilee at the site of Abel Beth Maacah, served as a boundary marker under Roman rule. It reveals the existence of two previously unknown settlements - Tirathas and Golgol - firmly within the vast Roman Empire's control.
![[Illustration of Jesus walking on water and reaching out to a man in a boat.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-694593316-kxxgJPG-JS385680425.jpg?strip=all&w=738)
The stone's inscriptions date back 1,720 years, during the reign of Caesar Marcus Aurelius Alexander, a name familiar to fans of the original Gladiator film. Alongside the towns’ names, it features references to four governors who managed the empire’s far-flung territories.
![[Illustration of a 1700-year-old Roman boundary marker found in Upper Galilee, Israel, with maps showing its location.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/DD-COMP-ARCHAEOLOGY-v1.jpg?strip=all&w=862)
Professor Uzi Leibner from the Hebrew University explained the significance of such a discovery. He said: "Finding a boundary stone like this not only sheds light on ancient land ownership and taxation but also provides a tangible connection to the lives of individuals who navigated these complex systems nearly two millennia ago.".
![[Illustration of the wedding at Cana.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NINTCHDBPICT000966560856.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The discovery paints a picture of Rome’s extensive influence, stretching from Italy to the Middle East, where it governed Israel from 63 BC until 135 AD. Residents of the region, taxed by an empire 2,500 miles away, left behind enduring traces of their lives etched into the archaeological record.
![[View of the Sea of Galilee from the Mount of Beatitudes.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2016-shows-general-view-northwestern-966561140.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
