The rock-cut mikveh was discovered during excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, sealed in a layer of destruction dating to 70 CE, containing ash and utensils typical of Jerusalem on the eve of the destruction – tangible evidence of the events of the city's destruction some 2,000 years ago.
A rock-cut purification bath from the late Second Temple period, with ash marks that testify to the destruction of the temple, was discovered in recent days during excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation under the Western Wall plaza. This is part of the effort to uncover Jerusalem's glorious past.
The mikveh is rectangular in shape, 3.05 m long, 1.35 m wide, and 1.85 m high. It is carved into the rock and its walls are plastered. Four hewn steps were exposed in its southern part, leading into it. The ancient facility was uncovered when it was sealed in the destruction layer of the Second Temple period – a layer dating to 70 CE.
Within this layer, which contains burnt ash that is evidence of the destruction, numerous pottery vessels and stone tools were discovered, typical of the Jewish population that lived in the city on the eve of the destruction.
The excavations under the Western Wall plaza, where the purification bath was discovered, are located close to the location of the Second Temple and two of the main entrances to it about 2,000 years ago – the Great Bridge to the north and Robinson's Arch to the south, and additional evidence was discovered in the area indicating activity related to purification, such as mikvahs, stone vessels, and more.
Israel Antiquities Authority researchers speculate that the purification bath served the Jews who lived in the area and the many pilgrims who visited the area and the temple.
"It must be remembered that Jerusalem was a temple city," Ari Levy, director of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, explains"As such, many aspects of daily life were adapted to this fact, and this is expressed, in particular, in the extreme strictness of the city's and France's residents regarding the laws of impurity and purity. This is why the saying "a breach of purity has occurred in Israel" was even established. Among the clear archaeological findings that represent this phenomenon are the purification baths and stone vessels, many of which were discovered in excavations throughout the city and its surroundings," says Levy. "The reasons for using stone vessels are halakhic, and are rooted in the halakhic recognition that stone, unlike vessels made of clay and metal, does not become impure because of this, and stone vessels could also be used over time and in cycles."
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How do you distinguish between a mikveh and just a bathtub?