Monumental ancient ritual baths unearthed at foot of Temple Mount in Jerusalem
Pilgrims flocking to ancient Jerusalem for the holidays in the Second Temple period may have not only purified but had opportunity to clean up before ascending to the holy site
Archaeologists have unearthed a previously unknown complex of ancient ritual baths at the base of Jerusalem's Temple Mount. These monumental baths, dating back to the Second Temple period, may have served as purification sites for pilgrims traveling to the holy city. The complex, discovered through five seasons of excavation, includes three mikvaot (ritual baths) and a rectangular pool that does not appear to have been a ritual bath.
The site is located near the foot of the Temple Mount and may have provided pilgrims with a place to wash their clothes and feet before ascending to the Temple. The baths have been securely dated to the late Second Temple period and are exceptionally well-preserved, with some of the plaster that waterproofed the walls still intact.
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