Bathhouse Uncovered at Kursi (BAR article)
Early Pilgrimage Site Marks “Swine Miracle”
Judith Sudilovsky,
Jerusalem
Excavators at Kursi, on the eastern shore of the Sea of
Galilee, believe the site may have been the earliest pilgrimage
destination for Christians visiting the Holy Land. They have
also recently found evidence that Christian pilgrims were
slaughtered there in 614 A.D. by the invading Persian army.
A team of archaeologists from the Jerusalem Center for Biblical
Studies uncovered a late Roman-period (third-early fourth
century) bathhouse complex near a previously excavated Byzantine
monastery. Inside the 26-by-36 foot bathhouse were three
dozen women’s rings and other pieces of jewelry.
“Why would there be a bathhouse in a monastery? Why women’s
rings?” asked excavation co-director Charles Page. “The bathhouse
was built for Western pilgrims and the jewelry belonged to
them. This is the beginning of a center for Western Christian
pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We believe it may have been
the largest center other than the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
in Jerusalem.”
The fourth-century monastery at Kursi (Biblical Gergesa)
marks the spot where Jesus is said to have performed his
“miracle of the swine,” in which he drove the unclean spirits
out of a raving man and into a nearby herd of swine. The
presence of the bathhouse at Kursi suggests that there may
have been an inn at the site run by the monks, who would
have earned income for the monastery by accommodating pilgrims.
Though a typical Roman bathhouse contains four rooms, at
Kursi only two rooms—a caldarium (hot bath) and a frigidarium
(cold bath)—have been unearthed so far. If there were additional
baths at Kursi, they would lie east of excavated structures.
However, it is possible that the bathhouse had only two rooms
because the monks who built it did not have enough money
for a full bathhouse.
In addition to jewelry, archaeologists found coins, glass
bottles (two of them intact) and oil lamps, including a rare
seven-wick polycandalon lamp. They also discovered a cache
of Persian weapons: spears, iron points for spears, arrowheads,
a sword and a scythe that was probably used for beheading
people.
Page and excavation codirector Vassilios Tzaferis believe
the jewelry found at Kursi belonged to the seventh-century
pilgrims who were killed by Persian invaders. “When the Persians
came it seems they destroyed every church and monastery,
and killed the Christians,” said Page. “The presence of all
the jewelry suggests that men, women and children sought
refuge from the Persians behind the walls of the monastery
complex, but the Persians were so strong they broke through.”
Next season, the team plans to investigate rooms under a
church on the northeast section of the property, which may
be a necropolis. Page is also intrigued by a building entrance
north of the bathhouse, discovered at the end of last year’s
excavation. This entrance could lead to the inn that may
have been at the site.
“Another good ten years’ worth of work lies ahead of us,”
Page said.
Article originally taken from: http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/bswb_BAR/bswbba2901strata.html#4
(dead link).
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