Jerusalem Family Finds 1st Century Ritual Bath in the Basement

Homeowners in the home town of John the Baptist discovered the first century Jewish ritual bath under their living room while carrying out renovation work.

A family in Jerusalem carrying out home improvement work on their house in the neighborhood of Ein Kerem discovered a 2,000 year old staircase leading to an ancient 'mikveh,' a fully intact large ritual bath measuring 3.5 meters in length, 2.3 meters in width and 1.8 meters in depth.

Upon first discovering the bath during their renovations some years ago, the Shimsoni family hesitated to call the authorities about the find, fearing the consequences. They continued to live above the historic site, and covered the entrance to the steps with a wooden door, which they installed in the floor of their living room.

Eventually the Shimsonis turned to the Israel Antiquities Authority [IAA], who on Wednesday presented them with a certificate of appreciation for the discovery.

Ein Karem residents, Tal (2nd L) and his son watch as an Israel's Antiquities Authority worker climbs a ladder leading to a ritual bath that was discovered under their house in Jerusalem, July 1, 2015

© REUTERS / Ronen Zvulun

"Such instances of finding antiquities beneath a private home can happen only in Israel and in Jerusalem in particular," the IAA's district archaeologist for Jerusalem Amit Reem said on Wednesday, adding that the discovery is of particular archeological importance due to the rarity of archaeological finds in Ein Kerem and its environs.

"Ein Kerem is considered a place sacred to Christianity in light of its identification with 'a city of Judah' – the place where according to the New Testament, John the Baptist was born and where his pregnant mother Elisabeth met with Mary, mother of Jesus." 

"The discovery of the ritual bath reinforces the hypothesis there was a Jewish settlement from the time of the Second Temple located in the region of what is today Ein Kerem."

The IAA archaeologists finished their excavation of the bath last week, in the course of which thy found fragments of ceramic and stone pottery dating back to the Second Temple period of Jewish history, from 538 BC to 70 AD. The investigation also revealed evidence of a fire, which the experts suspect may have happened during the First Jewish Revolt against Rome between 66 and 70 AD.