An ancient mikveh found during renovations in a living room in Ein Kerem strengthens the belief that there was a Jewish settlement there during the Second Temple period. The owners of the apartment received a certificate of appreciation for discovering the mikvah and reporting it to the Antiquities Authority, which added information about the destruction period

During renovations carried out in a private house in the picturesque Ein Kerem neighborhood in Jerusalem, an ancient 2000-year-old purification mikve was discovered under the living room of the house. The people of the Antiquities Authority were surprised to discover that under a stylish carpet, in the center of the living room of a hospitable family, there is a pair of wooden doors hiding an ancient mikveh.
This morning (Wednesday) the owners of the place were awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Antiquities Authority for showing good citizenship by reporting the discovery of the mikvah, thus contributing to the study of the land.
The mikvah is complete, large (3.5 m length, 2.4 m width, 1.8 m depth) carved out of rock and plastered and strictly according to the laws of purity that appear in the Halacha. A staircase leads to the bottom of the baptismal font. Inside the mikvah were found pottery from the days of the Second Temple (1st century AD) and signs of burning, (which may be evidence of the destruction of 70-66 AD. Fragments of stone vessels were also found that were customary in the days of the Second Temple, since stone does not accept Impurity and remains pure.
According to Amit Ram, archaeologist of the Jerusalem district: "Such cases, of finding antiquities under a private house, can only happen in the Land of Israel, and in Jerusalem in particular. Beyond the excitement and the unusual story of the discovery of the mikveh, its discovery has archaeological importance: Ein Kerem is considered a holy place for Christianity against the background Her identification with the "city of Judah" - the place that, according to the events of the New Testament, where John the Baptist was born, and where she met Elisheva - John's mother, being pregnant, Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Despite these identifications, the archaeological remains in Ein Kerem and its surroundings related to the period in which these events took place (the Second Temple period) are not numerous and fragmented. The finding of the mikveh strengthens the argument that in the area of today's Ein Kerem, there was a Jewish settlement in the days of the Second Temple.
The owners of the place say: "At first, we didn't know for sure what the significance of the find that was discovered in the area of our house was and we hesitated to contact the Antiquities Authority, because of the consequences that we believed would be involved. At the same time, we were accompanied by a strong feeling that apparently a find of historical value resides under the floor of our house, and the civic commitment And the public decided that this finding should be made public and properly documented to the Antiquities Authority for the completion of the excavation and documentation work, and together we cleaned the mikvah - and it must be said that we found worthy partners in this fascinating journey. .


More of the topic in Hayadan: (Beresheet is the Hebrew name for the book of Genesis)
3 תגובות
Is it possible to visit Beit Mishmacha and see the mikvah?
In any case, at which address is it?
Yoske:
Perhaps a question of ignorance, but as a Zionist with a belief in the historical background of our people, that the land was the property of our ancestors in the past.
Is it possible to demand a possession document / or ownership of parts of land where there are signs of Jewish Jewish settlement in the past
Based on archeological evidence alone, suppose that Palestinian refugees in Lebanon hold keys to their homes in the past, before the "occupation" and their desire to exercise the right of return.
Did they come out without any damage?
What exactly is the law in such cases?
Can the state do what it wants with the house, or does their property right increase?
Does the place still belong to them?
Can they charge for visitor entry?
I would appreciate answers, even partial ones.
The Antiquities Authority should publish its positions. If they are really as nice as the story implies, maybe more people will report to the authorities.