12-year-old unveils rare precious stone in Korazim, biblical site directly linked to Jesus’ ministry

A surprising discovery was made by a 12-year-old student in an area of ​​Israel with a strong biblical connection. The find of an unusual gemstone offers new insights into life in ancient Galilee.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) announcement in early June detailed that the artifact was unearthed in Korazim National Park, near the Sea of ​​Galilee.

The archaeological site is recognized as Chorazin mentioned in the New Testament, a village where, according to reports, its inhabitants witnessed Jesus’ miracles, but were not converted.

Additionally, Korazim is situated about two miles north of Capernaum, an ancient fishing community that played a central role in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Photographs of the gem, dating from the 6th century after Christ, reveal its small dimensions and a notable light blue core.

The artifact was discovered by Alon Horowitz, a 12-year-old student enrolled at Ramat Korazim Regional Primary School, located in nearby Elifelet.

The young man, in his sixth year of primary school, was part of a community excavation program. This initiative, promoted by INPA in collaboration with Ariel University, provides students from the region with the opportunity to work with archaeologists and deepen their knowledge of ancient civilizations.

Horowitz reported to authorities that he located the gem just moments before excavation activities ended.

In a statement, Horowitz described the moment: “After three days of digging, with about ten minutes to go, I was turning the dirt with my shovel and suddenly I saw something blue, round and singular.”

He continued: “I picked up the object and presented it to the archaeologist. Upon realizing that it was a rare piece, I felt great joy and pride. I received many compliments from my friends, teachers and family.”

Achia Kohn-Tavor, who directs the excavations at Korazim, said that the rare stone most likely adorned a highly valued ring belonging to an elite person from that location.

Kohn-Tavor identified the stone as a Nicolo, an unusual type of agate highly prized as a luxury item during the Roman and Byzantine empires. This identification is crucial, as the presence of a Nicolo in Korazim underlines the sophistication of life and commercial connectivity of the Galilee region in the 6th century AD, indicating that the local population had access to goods of international value.

The archaeologist commented to Fox News Digital that “the find occurred in a luxury property, suggesting that the item belonged to an individual from a wealthy family.”

Experts in the field believe that the jewelry could have been worn by both a man and a woman at the time.

Although archaeologists are unsure how the stone ended up buried at that site, they assume that its arrival in Korazim was via extensive trade routes that linked the area to the vast Roman and Byzantine world.

“The stone is not native to the region”, added the archaeologist. “Its presence there shows that the previous owner had access to imported luxury items.”