Editing Capernaum (section)

===Discovery and excavation===
In 1838, American explorer [[Edward Robinson (scholar)|Edward Robinson]] discovered ruins which he identified as those of a synagogue, but he did not relate this to ancient Capernaum.<ref>[https://www.baslibrary.org/biblical-archaeology-review/8/6/4 Strange, James F. and Shanks, Hershel. "Has the House Where Jesus Stayed in Capernaum Been Found?", ''Biblical Archaeology Review'', vol.8, no. 6, November/December 1982]</ref> In 1866, [[Charles William Wilson]] identified the location (then known as Tel Hum) as Capernaum. In 1894, Franciscan Friar Giuseppe Baldi of [[Naples]], the [[Custodian of the Holy Land]], was able to purchase a good part of the land around the ruins. Additional land on the eastern portion of the site became the property of the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem]].<ref name=Reed>{{harvnb|Reed|2002|p=142}}</ref>

In 1905, Germans Heinrich Kohl and [[Carl Watzinger]] began a study of Galilean synagogues.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor=27931283|title=On the Chronology of the Ancient Synagogue at Capernaum |last=Chen |first=Doron |journal=[[Zeitschrift des Deutschen Palästina-Vereins]] |year=1986 |volume=102 |pages=134–143}}</ref> These were continued by the [[Studium Biblicum Franciscanum|Franciscan Fathers]] Vendelin von Benden (1905–1915) and Gaudenzio Orfali (1921–1926). The excavations resulted in the discovery of two public buildings, the synagogue (which was partially restored by Orfali) and an octagonal church.<ref name=Reed /> 

In 1968, excavation of the western portion of the site—the portion owned by the Franciscans—was resumed by [[Virgilio Canio Corbo|Virgilio Corbo]] and [[Stanislao Loffreda]]. During this phase, the major discovery was that of a 1st-century house which is believed by Christians to be the home of Saint Peter.<ref name="IMFA1" /> These excavations have been ongoing, with some publication as recently as 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Excavations at Capernaum 2003 - text |url=http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/arch/Capharnaum2003.html |access-date=17 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023061953/http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/sbf/arch/Capharnaum2003.html |archive-date=23 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The excavations revealed that the site was established at the beginning of the Hasmonean period, roughly in the 2nd century BC, and abandoned in the 11th century.<ref name="IMFA1" />

The eastern half of the site, which is owned by the Orthodox [[Monastery of the Holy Apostles]], centered on the red-domed Church of the Holy Apostles, was surveyed and partially excavated under the direction of [[Vassilios Tzaferis]]. This section has uncovered the village from the [[Timeline of the Palestine region#Byzantine|Byzantine]] and [[Timeline of the Palestine region#Early Muslim period|Early Arab]] periods. Features include a pool apparently used for the processing of fish, and a [[hoard]] of gold coins.<ref>Tzaferis, 1989.</ref>
[[File:Capernaum ruins by David Shankbone.jpg|thumb|Ruins of the Roman-period town]]