Second Temple period mikveh discovered beneath Western Wall - Joanie Margulies

 

by Joanie Margulies

The ritual bath was found sealed beneath a layer of destruction dated to 70 CE, in which researchers found burned ash and numerous artifacts that offer a snapshot of life just before the city fell.

 

THE RITUAL purification bath (mikveh) from the Second Temple period.

(photo credit: Ari Levy, Israel Antiquities Authority)

 

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare rock-hewn mikveh, or ritual bath, dating to the final days of the Second Temple period directly beneath the Western Wall Plaza. The discovery, announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, provides a stark physical record of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago.

The ritual bath was found sealed beneath a significant layer of destruction dated to 70 CE. Within this layer, researchers discovered burned ash and numerous artifacts that offer a snapshot of life just moments before the city fell. Among the finds were various pottery and stone vessels, the latter of which were favored by the Jewish population of the time because stone was considered religiously incapable of contracting ritual impurity.

Measuring roughly 3 meters in length and nearly 2 meters in height, the rectangular installation features four hewn steps leading down into the plastered basin. Its location is of particular historical importance, situated in close proximity to what were once the primary entrances to the Temple Mount: the Great Bridge to the north and Robinson’s Arch to the south.

Ari Levy, the excavation director for the Israel Antiquities Authority, noted that Jerusalem functioned as a "Temple city" where daily life was strictly dictated by laws of ritual purity. He explained that the prevalence of mikvaot and stone vessels in the area reflects the meticulous observance of these laws by both residents and the massive waves of pilgrims who frequented the site.

“Jerusalem should be remembered as a Temple city,” Levy said in a statement on behalf of the IAA. “As such, many aspects of daily life were adapted to this reality, and this is reflected especially in the meticulous observance of the laws of ritual impurity and purity by the city’s residents and leaders. Indeed, the saying ‘purity spread in Israel’ was coined in this context.” Levy said.

ARCHAEOLOGIST ARI Levy beside the mikveh discovered near the Western Wall. (credit: Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)

“Among the most prominent archaeological finds representing this phenomenon are ritual baths and stone vessels, many of which have been uncovered in excavations throughout the city and its surroundings,” Levy added. “The reasons for using stone vessels are halakhic, rooted in the recognition that stone, unlike pottery and metal vessels, does not contract ritual impurity. As a result, stone vessels could be used over long periods and repeatedly.”

Mikveh found just before Tenth of Tevet

The timing of the discovery is significant for the local community, as it comes just ahead of the Tenth of Tevet, a fast day mourning the siege of Jerusalem. Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu remarked that the find strengthens the understanding of how deeply religious and daily life were intertwined during the Temple period.

“The exposure of the ritual bath beneath the Western Wall Plaza strengthens our understanding of how deeply intertwined religious life and daily life were in Jerusalem during the Temple period,” Eliyahu said. “This moving discovery, made just ahead of the fast of the Tenth of Tevet, underscores the importance of continuing archaeological excavations and research in Jerusalem, and our obligation to preserve this historical memory for future generations.”

Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, described the find as a powerful symbol of resilience. He stated that the ritual bath, found with the ashes of destruction at its base, serves as a profound witness to the history of the Jewish people and their ability to move from ruin to renewal. 

Eliav added, “The exposure of a Second Temple period ritual bath beneath the Western Wall Plaza, with ashes from the destruction at its base, testifies like a thousand witnesses to the ability of the people of Israel to move from impurity to purity, from destruction to renewal.”

Joanie Margulies

Source: https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-881692

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