A Harbour in South Tiberias? Summary of the 2020–2022 Excavations at the Miriam’s Well Beach (South Tiberias Lake Area Project)

Miriam's Well Beach is a key spot for understanding the development of Tiberias from the point of view of the lake. This site evidences the remains of three constructions: a segment of the city wall extending into the lake, an elongated heterogeneous structure on a north-south axis, and several spoliated basalt columns in a parallel alignment. These structures correspond to the area comprising the southward extension beyond the Byzantine city wall. Earlier scholars argued that the stone-built structures on the site were once a harbour that could accommodate ships. The preliminary results of our excavation conducted since 2020 indicate that these constructions are likely to have had other functions. Despite the lack of visible harbour structures, fishing vessels probably moored there. Without a doubt, the lake and fluctuations in its level significantly impacted the development of the urban area. Our investigation offers preliminary results that assist in understanding how settlements adapted to long-term environmental change, in this case during the transition from the Byzantine into the Early Islamic period.