Summary: The building of an elevator to access the Western Wall led to the exciting discovery of an elite Jewish ritual bath that overlooked the Second Temple.
He shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean. – Leviticus 14:9 (ESV)
New Western Wall Elevator Leads to Archaeological Discoveries
A Jewish ritual bath or mikveh carved into a mountainside was found this summer in the Old City of Jerusalem dating back to the Second Temple period (which ended in AD 70). The ancient site was discovered during rescue excavations that preceded the building of an elevator designed to provide easier access for people wanting to visit the Western Wall.
In 2017 construction began to make the 85-foot descent to the Western Wall more manageable for visitors. The location of the project was a narrow area next to the existing staircase on the eastern edge of the Jewish Quarter.
“The Western Wall is not a privilege, it’s elemental for a Jew or for any person from around the world who wants to come to this holy place,” said Herzl Ben Ari, CEO of the development group. “We have to enable it for everybody.”
However, as often happens during modern construction projects in Israel, valuable archaeological finds slowed down the endeavor. Excavations on the site are now almost complete after five years. The building of the elevator can continue once more and should be ready to use in 2025.
Digging Through 2,000 Years of Layers
Over 30 feet of construction and debris layers from the last 2,000 years were carefully peeled back during the dig. Hebrew University of Jerusalem archaeologists, Oren Gutfeld and Michal Haber, began excavating the site in February 2021 and were thrilled to find numerous historical artifacts.
“This plot of land where the elevator is going to be built remained undisturbed, giving us the great opportunity of digging through all the strata, all the layers of ancient Jerusalem,” said Haber.
Historical markers unearthed included a network of plastered pools and channels used during the Second Temple period, bricks bearing the stamp “Legio X Fretensis,” the name of the Roman army’s Tenth Legion that besieged and destroyed the city in AD 70 and evidence that the Romans then rebuilt the ruined city as the colony of Aelia Capitolina in the mid-second century AD. Islamic oil lamps and Ottoman pipes built into an ancient aqueduct were also discovered.
“The excavation revealed remains dating from the Second Temple, Roman-Byzantine, and Ottoman periods,” added Gutfeld, “The number of water channels, cisterns and pools discovered in the area reflects the central role played by Jerusalem’s water supply throughout the ages.”
Elite Villa with Carved Mikveh
One of the most exciting finds was inside the remains of a Judean villa that was used up until the final days before the Second Temple’s destruction. Unearthed fragments of mosaics and ornate wall paintings decorated the house, demonstrating the elite status of the owners.
Within the private villa was a stunning mikveh carved into rock, located on top of a cliff with a grand view of the Temple. It was beautifully preserved with steps leading down to the bath, a vaulted ceiling and fine masonry typical of the Herodian period.
“The mikveh was quarried under the lower aqueduct and it seems that it was the main water source of the bath, a discovery which was previously unknown to us, and will require further research,” Haber said.
Conclusion
“These rare finds, made during the Western Wall Elevator Project excavations, are truly exciting,” said Ze’ev Elkin, Construction and Housing Minister and Jerusalem Affairs minister, when inaugurating the project. “They provide proof of a continuous Jewish presence in Jerusalem for millennia. Under my leadership, Israel’s Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ministry will continue to preserve and develop Jerusalem’s rich Jewish past and transform the capital into a modern, innovative city.”
The site will be carefully preserved so that visitors will be able to view the mikveh. The plan is to integrate it into the lobby where the Western Wall elevator will be built. Keep Thinking!
TOP PHOTO: Israel uncovers ancient mikveh in Jerusalem. A large number of canals, holes and water pools discovered, indicate a large construction activity associated with water supply in the area. (credit: Michal Haber, Hebrew University)
