A 12-year-old Israeli boy has uncovered a rare gemstone in Korazim, the ancient Galilean town known in Scripture as Chorazin, one of the communities Jesus rebuked during His earthly ministry.
According to Israel365 News, Alon Horowitz made the discovery during a community excavation at Korazim National Park conducted by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in cooperation with Ariel University.
“After three days of excavations, about 10 minutes before we finished, I was digging with a pickaxe and suddenly saw something blue, round, and special,” Horowitz said in a statement released by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. “I picked it up and showed it to the archaeologist. When I realized it was something rare, I felt really happy and proud.”
Archaeologists identified the artifact as a Nicolo stone, a prestigious variety of agate prized during the Roman and Byzantine periods. The gemstone dates between the first and sixth centuries A.D. and was likely set in a piece of jewelry.
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The discovery took place just a few miles north of the Sea of Galilee in a city directly connected to the ministry of Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus issued a powerful warning to Chorazin after its people witnessed His miracles:
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matt. 11:21).
Excavations at the site have uncovered a synagogue, a mikveh, agricultural installations and other remnants of daily life from the biblical era.
Israel's Galilee region has been in the headlines in recent months because of rocket and drone attacks by the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah. However, on Monday, the region made news for a very different reason when a school excavation trip at Korazim National Park led to… pic.twitter.com/IcDvwnyWbc
— All Israel News (@all_israel_news) June 2, 2026
The discovery adds to a growing list of significant finds at the location. Israel365 News noted that “in 2021, another young visitor discovered a 1,500-year-old bronze coin while touring the national park.”
More than 2,000 years after Jesus spoke those words over Chorazin, the ancient city continues to reveal pieces of its history. Each discovery brings fresh attention to a place where Jesus walked, taught, performed mighty works and called people to repentance. The ground of Israel continues to testify to the historical reality of the biblical world and the ministry of Jesus Christ.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
