Ancient ritual bath found under home in Jerusalem - Yori Yalon, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

by Yori Yalon, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

An ancient mikveh found under an Ein Kerem home during a renovation attests to Jewish presence in the area during the Second Temple period • The home's owners will not have to move; Israel Antiquities Authority to help them preserve the historical site.

The wooden doors leading to the mikveh in the family's living room |Photo credit: Dudi Vaaknin

The ancient mikveh found in an Ein Kerem home

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Photo credit: Dudi Vaaknin

Israeli authorities said Wednesday they have identified a rare, well-preserved 2,000-year-old Jewish ritual bath, or mikveh, hidden under the floorboards of a home in Jerusalem.

Archaeologists said the discovery in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem neighborhood shines new light on ancient Jewish and early Christian communities in the area.

The couple who own the home, who asked to remain anonymous, said they found evidence of the mikveh while renovating their home three years ago. Construction workers were using heavy machinery that sank through a hole, leading the crew to discover the mikveh. 

The wife said that she and her husband were unsure of the significance and continued with the planned construction. But they also preserved the discovery, adding a pair of wooden doors in the floor to allow access to it and concealing the entrance with a rug.

The couple's curiosity, however, persisted. Earlier this week, they contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority and reported their finding, a decision for which they received a certificate of recognition from the archaeological body.

Amit Reem, an archaeologist with the IAA, believes the ritual bath dates back to the first century B.C.E., around the time of the Second Jewish Temple. The bath remains largely intact and includes a staircase leading to what was once a pool. Archaeologists also found pottery and unique stone vessels dating to the same period. The ancient chamber measures 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) long, 2.4 meters (8 feet) wide and 1.8 meters (6 feet) deep.

According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist is said to have been born in the Jewish community near Ein Kerem around the first century. Reem said the discovery adds to the physical evidence of the Jewish community in the area.

The IAA said that despite New Testament references to the "City of Judea," believed to be where Ein Kerem is now located, archaeological remains from Jesus' time have rarely been found in the village.

Reem said it is not uncommon for households around Jerusalem to unearth Jewish antiquities under their floorboards, though he did not know how many cases there were. The family does not have to move and will keep the ritual bath preserved with the help of the IAA.

Yori Yalon, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=26601

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