Archaeologists in Israel have found a shard of pottery with the name of the Old Testament prophet Elisha on it, leading them to believe they have discovered his home.

The pottery shard has been dated to the 9 th century BC, which would have been the time he lived, and was found in a house uncovered in Tel Rehov in the Jordan Valley, just seven miles from where Elisha was born.

“With only six other people by the name of Elisha known in that time for a couple of centuries on either side, we can somehow believe that either there was just the luck that this holy man was also by the name of Elisha, or this was Elisha the prophet himself,” archaeologist Stephen Pfann said.

Another clue comes from the discovery of two inscriptions on the site mentioning the family of Nimshi. Pfann said: “We remember that it was Elijah who was told to anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be the king. … And he passed that on to Elisha who sent out one of his disciples to finally do the anointing.”

Elisha was the faithful disciple of the prophet Elijah, and his successor. For sixty years (892–832 BC) he held the office of "prophet in Israel" and is venerated as a saint in a number of Christian Churches. He was credited with achieving great miracles, such as healing the barren ground of Jericho by adding salt to its waters. He was also said to have placed a curse on a group of aggressors, which resulted in ferocious bears suddenly appearing from the woods and attacking them.

If the house of Elisha has indeed been found, it suggests that his story was based on fact. But just how much of his story is based on real facts is what is most intriguing. Was it true that he could achieve great wonders? And if so, how?

By April Holloway