Lost city where Jesus performed miracles has finally been identified, expert says

Archaeologists believe they've identified a lost city tied to Jesus Christ's ministry after a decade of excavations, with the project's academic director saying he's "100%" certain about the discovery.

The El-Araj Excavation Project, led by Mordechai Aviam, has been digging at the archaeological site along the Sea of Galilee since 2016.

Bethsaida, close to Jesus' ministry in Capernaum , was once the home of the apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip.

AUTHOR DINESH D'SOUZA CHALLENGES BIBLE SKEPTICS WITH 'STARTLING' ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES The city was the setting of several of Jesus' miracles, including the healing of a blind man.

Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 took place on Bethsaida's outskirts, according to the Gospels.

Over the past decade, researchers have uncovered extensive evidence of an ancient Jewish fishing settlement and Roman-era city at the El-Araj site.

This year's excavation opened new areas of the site, revealing additional Roman period remains and pottery, Steven Notley, a biblical scholar and academic director of the El-Araj Excavation Project, told Fox News Digital.

ANCIENT BOOK OF REVELATION CITY GIVES UP STUNNING SECRET BURIED FOR 1,500 YEARS Researchers have also recovered over 200 coins, which are being studied to help date the settlement.

Notley, dean of religious studies at Pillar College in New Jersey, said an unexpected wildfire last year helped researchers gain a better understanding of the size of the ancient settlement.

"We actually had a wildfire, which at first we thought was tragic," Notley said.

"But it actually cleared the underbrush and allowed us to do an extended survey to determine the size of the settlement.

It's at least 15 acres." The team has also uncovered Jewish stone vessels, a Roman bathhouse and a Byzantine basilica containing an inscription linked to the Apostle Peter.

LOST CITY TIED TO BIBLICAL EXODUS MAY HAVE FINALLY BEEN DISCOVERED IN EGYPT Notley indicated that researchers looking for Bethsaida would expect to find evidence of two things: a Jewish fishing village and its later transformation into a small Roman city .

Excavations at El-Araj have revealed evidence of both, he said, including thousands of lead fishing weights, stone vessels associated with Jewish settlement and the remains of a Roman bathhouse .