Dear Magdala Family,

Today we begin with this series dedicated to Magdala Archaeology. As archaeologists, it fills us with excitement to share with each one of you, in a familiar and intimate way, some of the secrets of antiquity that we have been able to discover and reveal through our work at this fascinating archaeological site of the Holy Land.

A few years ago, between 2010 and 2014, Magdala was not a popular tourist destination in the Galilee region. In fact, there were few tourists and pilgrims who trusted the rumors announcing a new excavation at the place where Mary Magdalene lived. These travelers, who strayed from their established routes and ventured into Magdala, a newly discovered jewel of antiquity. Above all, they were greeted with joy by volunteers and archaeologists who stepped out of our excavation areas to explain how we were unveiling the buried past of Magdala, a past that had been hidden for two thousand years.  

Hundreds of volunteers from different nationalities participated in the archaeological excavations. These resembled the construction of the Tower of Babel, but instead of rising upwards, we dug down; listening to different languages at the same time, as we uncovered the ancient city where Mary Magdalene lived.

The excavations have involved mind, heart, spirit, and body. It has been a project in which we have completely immersed ourselves. Over the last 10 years, we have brought to light a town located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and that, chronologically, corresponds to the historical context in which Jesus lived; and as the Bible states, who passed through the synagogues of Galilee and visited towns preaching and healing people.

For us as archaeologists, as we progress in the excavations and understand the archaeological contexts and materials, we have let these findings speak and tell "their story." We are merely instruments of them and of the people who made and used them, and now, after 2,000 years, we use our voice and written word to bring them to life.

Archaeology is a fascinating discipline; it serves as a bridge between the past and the present, between people and disciplines. In the scientific realm, we present complex analyses, verifiable data discussed by scholars, debated in conferences within the scientific community, and then published in prestigious academic sites. However, it is true that archaeology is also covered with a veil of mystery; this veil lends it the beauty of "the secret," "the ancient," and of imagination.

This is the reason why we want to write; we want to invite you to imagine with us, with this veil of beauty grounded in science, close to the truth. We want you to see the beauty of the ancient world, the beauty of the Galilee region during the 1st century, and the beauty of ancient Magdala.

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