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 Empire’s 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 was favored by the Jewish population of the time because stone was considered 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 IAA, noted that Jerusalem functioned as a “Temple city,” where the laws of ritual purity strictly governed daily life. 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.
Mikveh found just before Tenth of Tevet
“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.
“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,” he added.
“The reasons for using stone vessels are halachic. They are 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.”
For the local community, the timing of the discovery is significant, as it comes just ahead of Asara Betevet, the fast of the 10th of Tevet, marking the day when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem over 2,500 years ago.
Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu said, “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.”
“This moving discovery, made just ahead of the fast of the 10th of Tevet, underscores the importance of continuing archaeological excavations and research in Jerusalem, and our obligation to preserve this historical memory for future generations,” the heritage minister continued.
Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, described the find as a powerful symbol of resilience. He said that the presence of the ritual bath, found with the ashes of destruction at its base, served as a profound testimony to the history of the Jewish people and their ability to move from ruin toward renewal.
“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,” he said.