The town of Jotopata, located approximately 18 kilometres north of Nazareth, was destroyed by the Romans in 66 AD and never resettled. Jotopata is one of the closest neighbours to first-century Nazareth, with similar topography – situated on a limestone hill surrounded by valleys. Although only a fraction of its ruins have been excavated, they illustrate how bedrock was profiled for house construction, leveling out areas for floors while leaving raised partitions to carry the walls and minimise the need for construction.