Israel – A plastered building, probably a ritual bath (“mikveh”), dating back to the Second Temple period has been exposed in an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted prior to the installation of a water line by the Mekorot Company at an antiquities site, about 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) north of Kibbutz Zor’a.
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The excavation revealed a square structure that has three walls treated with a thin layer of plaster that facilitated the storage of water. A channel used to drain water into the ritual bath was installed in a corner.
In addition, a plaster floor and three stairs that descend from it to the west (toward the hewn openings in the bedrock) were exposed.
According to archaeologist Pablo Betzer, excavation director on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “This is the first time that any remains dating to the Second Temple period have been exposed in this region.
“We knew from the Talmud and from non-Jewish sources that on this ridge, as in most of the Judean Shephelah, there was an extensive Jewish community 2,000 years ago that existed until the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Yet despite the many surveys and excavations that have been carried out to date no remains from this period have been discovered so far”.
Isn’t ironic that these ‘finds’ are always ‘found’ around yomim tovim? Do they find anything during any other time of the year?
This should help us out with Hilchois mikvuois. To see hoe a kosher mikvah was built in those days.
How neat! It’s always cool when they find something from Temple times!
And it helps to dispute the charges made by the Arab crazies that no Temple ever existed in the 1st place. *eyeroll*
I’m glad they are still doing whatever excavations they can- I know it’s a tough atmosphere. There’s always people protesting this site being excavated, or that site… etc.
One day, these fights won’t happen though. In the days of the Moshiach, everyone will know that G-d is the Lord, and will be BEGGING the Yidden to rebuilt the Temple! (:-D
I pray that day comes sooner, rather than later!