Ancient Ritual Bath Complex Uncovered Near Jerusalem's Temple Mount

Archaeologists in Jerusalem have unearthed a large, 2,000-year-old ritual purification complex, believed to have been used by pilgrims before entering the Second Temple.

The sprawling 280-square-meter site, located near the "Triple Gate" at the southern foot of the Temple Mount, features three large public mikvahs (ritual baths), a plastered pool, and an integrated water and drainage system. One mikvah has been remarkably preserved to a height of approximately 4.2 meters, including a rare vaulted stone ceiling, a significant find for Jerusalem.

The complex's proximity to the Temple Mount strongly suggests it served the vast numbers of pilgrims who needed to undergo ritual purification before accessing the holy site. "The uncovering of a monumental hewn stone structure dedicated entirely to purification, situated at the foot of the Temple Mount and near one of its gates, is an unprecedented discovery," stated excavation directors Professor Uzi Leibner and Professor Orit Peleg-Barakat from the Hebrew University.

Evidence of the complex's demise in 70 CE was found in the form of dozens of coins dating to the Great Revolt. The discovery is the result of five excavation seasons conducted by the Hebrew University in the City of David, in collaboration with the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology and funded by the Israel Science Foundation and the Hartog Center for the Study of Jerusalem's Archaeology. The area, known as the Ophel, is part of the City of David National Park and managed by the East Jerusalem Development Company.