First home from Jesus' time found in Nazareth

From USAToday-

Today in Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus, archaeologists showed off the remains of a home that may have belonged to one of his neighbors, the first such dwelling from that era.

The simple house was one of about 50 that belonged to the impoverished Jewish families who lived in the hamlet. The remains of a wall, a hideout from Roman soldiers, a courtyard and a roof-top water system were found after 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.

"This may well have been a place that Jesus and his contemporaries were familiar with," archaeologist Yardena Alexandre, excavations director at the Israel Antiquities Authority, told the Associated Press. Jesus may have played around the house with his cousins and friends, he added. "It's a logical suggestion."

Haaretz has more photos.

Present-day Nazareth has about 65,000 residents, mostly Muslims, and is the largest Arab city in northern Israel.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/12/first-home-from-jesus-time-found-in-nazareth/1