Sceptics of the New Testament include a fringe element who dismiss the historical existence of Jesus altogether.
It is commonplace for those who hold such a view to claim that there is no archaeological evidence for various sites connected to Jesus, particularly in the area of Galilee. One example is so-called mythicist, Rene Salm, who published The Myth of Nazareth. He proposes that Nazareth was not settled until after AD 70 and that there was nothing there at the time of Jesus. Published in 2008, archaeology made the book out of date by 2009.
Nazareth
Beneath the modern Church of the Annunciation are rock-cut tombs and storage caves that were reused in Byzantine times. While this is the traditional site for the house of Mary and Joseph these remains are difficult to date. However, in 2009 a reinvestigation of ruins beneath the Sisters of Nazareth Convent made an unexpected discovery. Carved into a rocky hillside, a significant house had been built that included remains of first-century pottery. Further discoveries provide evidence from the same period of agriculture, including a wine press carved into the bedrock.
