fbpx

Mysterious Stone Piles in Sea of Galilee

From Haaretz:

A marine scientist has discovered a series of mysterious stone patterns on the lake bed of drought-stricken Lake Kinneret.
The man-made piles of stone, which are now above water, jut out from the freshwater lake, and sit 30 meters from each other along a 3.5-kilometer stretch of the eastern shore, from the Kinneret College campus to Haon resort.
Gal Itzhaki of Kibbutz Afikim first noticed the stones while strolling along the lake’s receded shoreline. He says the patterns are a “fascinating phenomenon” and are part of an “impressive building enterprise.”
Though they have not yet been scientifically examined, there are several hypotheses as to what functions they fulfilled. One theory postulates that they were part of a boundary between the ancient lakeside towns of Hippos, also known as Sussita, and Gadara. Both towns were part of the Decapolis, a group of 10 towns that flourished in the eastern part of the Roman province of Palestina, and are mentioned in the New Testament. Others have hypothesized that the patterns were part of a string of watchtowers or small buildings, or were used to set up fishermen’s nets.

Read the rest here.  The Hebrew version includes a photo.

HT: Joe Lauer

Share:

3 thoughts on “Mysterious Stone Piles in Sea of Galilee

  1. One online commentator suggested there are similar installations offshore from Tabgha. If so, the theory of boundary stones might be increased.

    Here’s another suggestion: platforms for small fires that at night attract the fish there along the northern shores. Hence, ‘we have fished all night an caught nothing.”

    Eegads! I just gave away a journal article……

    DM

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *