Archaeologists unearthed what they believe to be the childhood home of Jesus

 

Childhood home of Jesus Christ found in Nazareth   (27th November, 2020)

Archaeologists working in the city of Nazareth have unearthed what they believe to be the childhood home of Jesus Christ. Following an arduous, 14-year excavation of the site at the Sisters of Nazareth Convent, researchers say they believe the first-century home is where Jesus grew up as a child. Lead researcher Professor Ken Dark embarked on 14 years of research and fieldwork at the ancient site. He says his studies of the well-preserved abode on a limestone hillside revealed "excellent craftsmanship" and a "structural understanding of rock". He says this is, "consistent with it having been constructed by a tekton" - the occupation of Jesus' father, Joseph.

Professor Dark says the dwelling was originally found in the 1880s and was first excavated in the 1930s. For decades, experts and nuns living in the convent have asserted that the site was Jesus' boyhood home. Dark started on his dig in 2006 to investigate these assertions. He said the site had been "almost forgotten by scholars". He used cutting edge archaeological techniques to uncover more secrets of the house. Dark discovered that people believed that the building was Jesus' house from at least the 380s. However, he says his claims are not conclusive and acknowledges that we may never know for sure whether or not Jesus Christ lived at that location.


4. CHILDHOOD: What was good and bad about your childhood? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good

Bad

Home

 

 

School

 

 

Money

 

 

Friends

 

 

Holidays

 

 

Weekends

 

 

 

 
6. ANCIENT SITES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Stonehenge
  • The Pyramids
  • Machu Picchu
  • Pompeii
  • Angkor Wat
  • Petra
  • Luxor Temple
  • Easter Island Moai

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1.

archaeologist

a.

Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.

      2.

unearthed

b.

A place of residence; a house or home.

      3.

arduous

c.

A person who studies human history and prehistory through the digging of sites and the analysis of things found there.

      4.

excavation

d.

Found something in the ground by digging.

      5.

ancient

e.

The action of digging something, especially an archaeological site or construction site.

      6.

abode

f.

Very, very, very old.

      7.

consistent

g.

Acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate.

    Paragraph 2

      8.

expert

h.

At the latest or most advanced stage of development; innovative or pioneering.

      9.

convent

i.

A person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.

      10.

asserted

j.

Someone who studies a particular branch of study, especially the humanities; a distinguished professor.

      11.

scholar

k.

Of evidence or argument serving to prove a case; decisive or convincing.

      12.

cutting edge

l.

A school for girls run by nuns.

      13.

conclusive

m.

Accept or admit the existence or truth of.

      14.

acknowledge

n.

Stated a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Archaeologists say they have found the home where Jesus was born.     T / F
  2. Archaeologists worked on the site for 14 years.     T / F
  3. The home is on a flat piece of limestone farmland.     T / F
  4. The home wasn't very well made.     T / F
  5. The home was first discovered in the year 880.     T / F
  6. A professor said scholars had almost forgotten about the home.     T / F
  7. A professor used cutting edge techniques to find secrets about the home. T / F
  8. The professor is certain the home is where Jesus Christ grew up.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. unearthed
  2. arduous
  3. embarked
  4. research
  5. consistent
  6. dwelling
  7. excavated
  8. techniques
  9. claims
  10. conclusive
  1. residence
  2. inquiries
  3. methods
  4. laborious
  5. dug up
  6. undeniable
  7. discovered
  8. assertions
  9. in tune with
  10. started

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. Archaeologists
  2. Following an arduous,
  3. embarked
  4. fieldwork
  5. excellent
  6. the dwelling was originally
  7. almost forgotten by
  8. He used cutting edge archaeological
  9. uncover more secrets
  10. his claims are not
  1. scholars
  2. at the ancient site
  3. conclusive
  4. working in the city
  5. found in the 1880s
  6. of the house
  7. 14-year excavation
  8. craftsmanship
  9. techniques
  10. on 14 years of research

 

Comprehension questions

  1. For how long have archaeologists been working on the site?
  2. What kind of establishment is the dig taking place at?
  3. Who is Ken Dark?
  4. What kind of hillside was the home found on?
  5. What does the article say was the job of Jesus' father?
  6. When was the home originally found?
  7. Who asserted the home was where Jesus grew up?
  8. Who does the article say almost forgot about the home?
  9. What did a professor want to uncover about the home?
  10. From when did people start believing Jesus lived at the home?






 

Role play

Role  A – Stonehenge
You think Stonehenge is the best ancient site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): the Pyramids, Petra or Easter Island Moai.

Role  B – The Pyramids
You think the Pyramids is the best ancient site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Stonehenge, Petra or Easter Island Moai.

Role  C – Petra
You think Petra is the best ancient site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): the Pyramids, Stonehenge or Easter Island Moai.

Role  D – Easter Island Moai
You think the Easter Island Moai is the best ancient site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): the Pyramids, Petra or Stonehenge.

Discussion - Jesus Christ

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. What images are in your mind when you hear the name 'Jesus'?
  3. What do you know about Jesus?
  4. What do you want to know about Jesus?
  5. What would it be like to be an archaeologist?
  6. Where in the world would you like to go on a dig?
  7. Is it important we know where Jesus grew up?
  8. How important is archaeology?
  9. What craftsmanship is valued in your country?
  10. What do you think of your childhood home?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

  1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
  2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'home'?
  3. What do you think about what you read?
  4. What do you know about Nazareth?
  5. What was life like in the times of Jesus?
  6. Would you like to visit the house the archaeologists found?
  7. What three adjectives best describe this story?
  8. What are the most important ancient sites in your country?
  9. What would you like to be an expert in?
  10. What questions would you like to ask archaeologists?

 

Spelling

Paragraph 1

  1. drhaeuetn what they believe to be
  2. an ouurads, 14-year excavation
  3. fieldwork at the cnntiea site
  4. a rustclruta understanding of rock
  5. soneittncs with it having been constructed
  6. the pacootucni of Jesus' father

Paragraph 2

  1. the lwgdlien was originally found
  2. first vctaaedxe in the 1930s
  3. aetssder that the site was Jesus' boyhood home
  4. almost forgotten by rcoshals
  5. archaeological encqhtisue
  6. his claims are not oscvilunce

 

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