Gazan family discovers Roman site in backyard
A Gaza family’s discovery of the remains of a Roman cemetery in their backyard spurred a major conflict between the family and the authorities.
On the cold, rainy night of Jan. 25, the Kafarina family unearthed an archaeological site that sparked a major controversy between the family and the authorities that remains unresolved.
The family of 20, including 14 children, live in the town of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, a few kilometers from the border separating Gaza and Israel. One of the grandchildren, Abdelkarem al-Kafarina, noticed as the rain kept falling that a small cavity appeared in their backyard.
Kafarina, 24, went out into the rain to check the cavity, curious if this would reveal an archaeological site, which regularly happens in the area, or a smuggling tunnel, which may have crumbled under the heavy rain.
Using simple tools, he started digging around the cavity and once he reached a depth of about 1 meter (3.3 feet), he found a 60-centimeter (2-feet) limestone that appeared to be covering an underground cellar. As soon as he removed it, a foul smell emanated from under the cover.
