Ancient discovery from time of Jesus emerges near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount

Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have uncovered a well-preserved ritual bathing complex in the Ophel, just south of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Dating to the early first century AD, it likely served Jewish pilgrims who purified themselves before visiting the Second Temple, and offers evidence of the practices that shaped the region’s religious life.

The complex includes three large baths, a plastered pool, a paved plaza and an extensive water system; one bath retains its vaulted ceiling and stands nearly 14 feet tall. Coins from the First Jewish Revolt were found among the remains, linking the site to Jerusalem’s destruction by Roman forces in AD 70. An older purification facility lies beneath it, while a theology scholar said the discovery helps explain how Jewish immersion practices informed Christian baptism; there is no evidence Jesus or his disciples used the baths.