Ancient ritual bath unearthed in Israel dates to time of Jesus
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Archaeologists working in Kirjat Gat, Israel, discovered a mikveh, a ritual bath used for purification in Judaism, that dates back 2,000 years to the Second Temple period, the time when Jesus lived.
The find suggests the presence of a previously unknown settlement from that era. Researchers also uncovered stone measuring vessels during the excavation. Jewish law considered stone ritually clean, unlike other materials, and these vessels offer insight into the religious practices and daily life of the settlement’s inhabitants.
While the structure existed during the time of Jesus, there is no evidence he used it or that the discovery confirms any events from the Gospels. The Israel Antiquities Authority plans to return the mikveh to its original location after construction finishes. They will incorporate it into a public space in a new district and allow visitors to see it, while also continuing research into the Jewish community that lived there two millennia ago.
