In the late 1990s, a local Nazareth couple, Elias and Martina Shama, discovered pipes in their wall, and a portion of a tunnel.
According to Under Nazareth, Secrets in Stone (Dec 17, 2002, International Herald Tribune):[3][4] A North American research team conducted high-resolution ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys at a number of locations in and around Mary’s Well in 2004-5 to determine appropriate locations for further digging to be conducted beneath the bathhouse.
Samples were collected for radio-carbon dating and the initial data from GPR readings seem to confirm the presence of additional subterranean structures.
[5] In 2003, archaeologist Richard Freund stated his belief that the site was clearly of Roman-era origins: "I am sure that what we have here is a bathhouse from the time of Jesus," he says, "and the consequences of that for archaeology, and for our knowledge of the life of Jesus, are enormous.
"[6] Carbon 14 dating was done on 3 samples of charcoal, each was found to come from a very different time period, indicating the bath house had been used in multiple periods, and at least was used sometime between 1300-1400; although with only 3 samples dated, it is possible for the bath house to be older.