An Israeli archaeological site may be connected to John the Baptist or Jewish groups of his time, say U.S. researchers.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte archaeologist James D. Tabor, associate director of the excavation, says the site was brought to international attention in 2004 with the publication of "The Cave of John the Baptist," a book by Israeli archaeologist Shimon Gibson, the site's director.
The initial connection with John the Baptist was based on some of the earliest Christian drawings related to John on the cave walls as well as the location of the cave near Ein Kerem, John's birthplace.
The most recent excavations point to the possible existence of a second, still unexcavated cave at the site, suggesting that the location may have been a major complex of uncertain function during the Iron Age.
In the book, Gibson discussed discoveries from the cave and underground reservoir at Suba, 15 miles west of Jerusalem, focusing on the finding that it had seen particularly heavy use during the early Roman period, around the time of John the Baptist and Jesus.
That's the whole thing. Not much there, really.