Recent excavations in a cave near Nazareth have uncovered a 2000-year-old quarry where stone vessels were produced. The cave, hewn of chalkstone, revealed numerous stone vessels in various stages of production, and has lead archaeologists to conclude that there was a healthy market for such items in that geographical region. In the first century, Jews in Galilee used pots and storage jars made of stone, as they did not become ritually impure. In John 2:6, the gospel writer describes Jesus turning the water into wine in stone jars during the wedding at Cana. Interestingly, the stone quarry cave is located in the same general vicinity as biblical Cana likely was, suggesting the possibility that the stone jars described in the gospel may have come from the nearby stone vessel factory being excavated today. At the very least, the discovery confirms the use of stone jars in first-century Galilee, just as the Bible describes.
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