Uncovering Biblical History

The University of Nebraska at Omaha leads a consortium of universities in excavating Bethsaida, an important city in biblical history located on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Dr. Rami Arav, professor of religion and philosophy at UNO, re-discovered the site and identified it as Bethsaida in 1987. Since 1990, UNO has led a consortium of institutions in uncovering and studying artifacts. Their work has shed new light on the archaeology of the Bible Land and the way scholars interpret the Bible.

Each summer, faculty and students from UNO, consortium members, and the general public travel to Bethsaida to continue excavations and archaeological study. Learn how you can Join the Dig.

JOIN THE DIG

The Bethsaida Biblical Archaeology project is an educational, interactive project in which students take part and learn all the skills of archaeological excavation. They learn land surveying methods and how to record, sort, catalogue, photograph, and analyze artifacts. Every summer, students and faculty from UNO and international partner universities, as well as archaeological enthusiasts from the general public, gather at Bethsaida to unearth more layes of this biblical city. Learn how you can Join the Dig.

TOUR THE SITE

Take a virtual tour of Bethsaida and meet some of the archaeologists and volunteer excavators in this 9-minute YouTube video.

The 2013 dig season

Preparations for the summer 2013 dig are underway. Learn how you can Join the Dig during one of these sessions:

Session 1	Sunday, May 19	to	Saturday, June 1
Session 2	Sunday, June 2	to	Saturday, June 15
Session 3	Sunday, June 16	to	Saturday, June 29 FULL

Please note that Session 3 is now FULL. Sign up for Session 1 or 2 before it's too late!

NEW! Apply for a $500 scholarship to offset the costs of your travel to Bethsaida! Download the application (.doc)

The Batchelder Biblical Archaeology Conference

Each fall, UNO hosts the Batchelder Biblical Archaeology Conference, which draws leading authorities on Biblical history from around the world. The 2012 conference was held Nov. 8-10. Read more about the Bethsaida Conference & Events.

2012 Batchelder Conference Schedule at a Glance