In its prime, Magdala was a prominent city along the trade routes surrounding the Galilee. This is reflected in the extensive and well-designed marketplace unearthed by archaeologists. A central paved street is flanked on its eastern side with shops that would likely have sold everything from pottery to woven goods to fresh produce. The importance of Magdala’s fishing industry can be seen in several of these shops, where plastered pools of various sizes were designed to hold the day’s catch and display them for customers. One of the most impressive discoveries in the marketplace was the technologically advanced plumbing system which connected the shops with individual access to fresh groundwater. This system, which would have been a marvel two thousand years ago, is even more astonishing because it still functions today.
The archaeological project is headed by Universidad Anáhuac México Sur (Anahuac University of Mexico – South in partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico – UNAM) and the Israel Antiquities Authority
