Beyond Discovery: Archaeology, Heritage and Partnership in the Galilee

Join the CCAS Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations for a presentation on the U.S.-funded Galilee Heritage Project at Huqoq and Bethsaida. Focusing primarily on Huqoq, this lecture traces the journey from archaeological discovery to conservation, interpretation and public engagement, including new finds from 2026, the Secrets of Huqoq exhibition and new digital initiatives. Speaker: Dr. Shua Kisilevitz, Albright Institute of Archaeological Research and Tel Aviv University About the Project: What happens to an archaeological site after excavation ends, but long before it can open to the public? The Galilee Heritage Project addresses this challenge at two recently excavated sites near the Sea of Galilee, the late Roman synagogue and extraordinary mosaics of Huqoq and the Byzantine church at Bethsaida (El-Araj), identified by its excavators as the Church of the Apostles. Together, these exceptional discoveries offer compelling windows into the culturally and religiously diverse world of the Galilee in Late Antiquity. Led by the W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research with U.S. federal support, the project also highlights the enduring role of American scholarship and American-Israeli institutional partnership in researching, preserving and sharing the region's archaeological heritage.