Archaeologists Discover Biblical Town of Dalmanutha

Archaeologists have found an ancient town along the Sea of Galilee. The Biblical town is estimated to be around 2000 years old and is located in the Ginosar Valley in Israel.

The town might be the fabled Dalmanutha (also Dalmanoutha) mentioned in the Gospel of Mark, according to Ken Dark, of the University of Reading in the U.K., who led the team that discovered the town.

Dalmanutha is the place where Jesus performed the "fish and loaves" miracle to feed 4,000 people.

So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.-Mark 8:8-8:10, King James Version

The study also confirmed that a famous boat discovered about two decades back was actually found along the shoreline of the newly discovered town, Livescience reported.

Another important finding was that the distance between the southern tip of Dalmanutha and the famous town of Magdala is about 500 feet (150 meters).

According to Dark and team, the town of Dalmanutha might have been prosperous in ancient times as the residents were engaged in trade and fishing. Anchors, amphora and weights were discovered at the site.

Archaeologists also found several pieces of pottery at the site, some dating back to first or second century B.C. The designs on the artifacts show that both Jews and Polytheists lived in the town.

The study is published in the journal Palestine Exploration Quarterly.

Is it really Dalmanutha?

Dark isn't certain if the town is really Dalmanutha. According to Joel L. Watts, author of Mimetic Criticism and the Gospel of Mark: An Introduction and Commentary, the town of Dalmanutha might not have existed.

However, Dark adds that the evidence is quite strong and the ancient site could be the place mentioned in the bible.