Season 10: "Our tenth season in the search of... (the) lost city of the Gospels"

Welcome to the Bethsaida-Julias EAEP 2026 excavations. This summer we begin our tenth season in the search for the last, lost city of the Gospels. The week before an excavation is usually a time for preparing the site, clearing away the growth from the winter, bringing the tools to the site, and getting the volunteers in place. However, this year we had a special occasion. Yesterday we were visited by Ambassador Mike Huckabee, his wife and other dignitaries in a ceremony to mark the US State Department's generous cultural heritage grant to the Bethsaida excavation. This gift will assist to restore and preserve the Byzantine Basilica built over the house of Peter and Andrew. Ambassador Huckabee was himself presented with a gift - a glass representation of the pilgrim's graffito found last year etched in the plaster of the basilica wall. It depicts a fishing boat and was likely intended to remember that Peter and Andrew were fishermen. During the ceremony we also uncovered the medallion mosaic and read the lines that speak of, "the chief of the Apostles and the keeper of the keys of heaven," undoubtedly a reference to St. Peter. It was a wonderful time and the visitors kept commenting on the close sense of community that exists among the team committed to unearthing Bethsaida. On Sunday morning we resume digging at 5:15AM. Be on the lookout for more daily posts

— R. Steven Notley, Academic Director