The say finding some pieces of old stone jars is proof of the miracle of
Jesus turning water into wine!

http://smh.com.au/articles/2004/12/22/1103391833537.html?oneclick=true

Archaeologists 'find site of Jesus miracle'
December 23, 2004

Among the roots of ancient olive trees, archaeologists have found pieces
of large stone jars of the type the Gospel says Jesus used when he turned
water into wine at a Jewish wedding in the Galilee village of Cana.

They believe these could have been the same kind of vessels the Bible says
Jesus used in his first miracle, and that the site where they were found
could be the location of biblical Cana. But Bible scholars caution it'll
be hard to obtain conclusive proof - especially since experts disagree on
exactly where Cana was located.

Christian theologians attach great significance to the water-to-wine
miracle at Cana.

The act was not only Jesus' first miracle, but it also came at a crucial
point in the early days of his public ministry - when his reputation was
growing, he had just selected his disciples and was under pressure to
demonstrate his divinity.

The shards were found during a salvage dig in modern-day Cana, between
Nazareth and Capernaum.

Israeli archaeologist Yardena Alexander believes the Arab town was built
near the ancient village. The jar pieces date to the Roman period when
Jesus travelled in the Galilee.

"All indications from the archaeological excavations suggest that the site
of the wedding was [modern-day] Cana, the site that we have been
investigating," said Ms Alexander, as she cleaned the site of mud from
winter rains.
However, American archaeologists excavating a rival site several
kilometres to the north have also found pieces of stone jars from the time
of Jesus, and believe they have found biblical Cana.

Another expert, archaeologist Shimon Gibson, cast doubt on the find at
modern Cana, since such vessels are not rare and it would be impossible to
link a particular set of vessels to the miracle.

"Just the existence of stone vessels is not enough to prove that this is a
biblical site," he said adding that more excavations were needed.

Based on the shards, Ms Alexander believes the vessels found at her site
were 30 to 40 centimetres in diameter - or large enough to be the same
type of jars described in the Gospel of John.

Other evidence that might link the site to the biblical account includes
the presence of a Jewish ritual bath at the house, which shows it was a
Jewish community.

Locally produced pottery was used at the simple house, showing it could
have been from the poor village described in the Scriptures.

Stephen Pfann, a Bible scholar in Jerusalem, said that while the American
dig has generally been accepted by scholars as the true site, the shards
found in modern-day Cana raise new questions.

"I think there is ample evidence that both sites are from the first
century, and we need more information to correctly identify either site,"
he said.

Ms Alexander has been digging in modern Cana since 1999.

The current find came in a last-ditch "salvage dig" before a house is
built on the site.

A Christian Arab family financed part of the excavation, in accordance
with Israeli law, before construction can begin.

Ms Alexander believes that with more substantial investment, the site
could became a major tourist attraction and pilgrimage destination.

"We're really working very hard to save some of this site because what we
do have here is a village of Jesus," she said.

"And it was here that he carried out the first miracle."

AP