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A remarkably intact 2,000-year-old Jewish ritual bath dating to around the time of Jesus has been unearthed in Israel — shedding light not only on Christ’s life but also “illuminating the world of the Bible,” according to a bestselling author and filmmaker.
The mikveh, which dates to the Second Temple period roughly 2,000 years ago, was recently extracted from Kiryat Gat, an Israeli city roughly 35 miles southwest of Jerusalem.
The structure had been uncovered during an archaeological excavation. The operation to remove it intact was announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in September.
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Pictures released by officials show a massive crane lifting the 25-ton mikveh intact from the archaeological site.
Mikvehs, or Jewish ritual baths, are traditionally used for purification.
The ancient mikveh, seen at right, dates roughly to the time of Jesus Christ, when Jewish ritual baths were traditionally used for purification purposes. (GraphicaArtis/Getty Images; Israel Antiquities Authority)
The bath dates roughly to the time of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, who, as a Jew living during the Second Temple period, likely used mikvehs, though Scripture does not explicitly say that he did.
The mikveh is evidence that a Second Temple-period Jewish settlement, previously unknown to scholars, once existed in the area, according to officials.
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Officials also noted that the excavation uncovered stone measuring vessels, which were widely used during the Second Temple period because, under Jewish law, they were not considered susceptible to ritual impurity.
The ancient structure is eventually expected to return to the community where it was found.
Mikvehs, such as the one recently found, seen at left, were used for ritual purification during the Second Temple period, when Jesus lived and carried out his ministry. (Israel Antiquities Authority; Leemage/Corbis via Getty Images)
“The operation was carried out with the aim of protecting the ancient structure from damage during the neighborhood’s development work,” the IAA said in a statement.
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“When construction is completed, the mikveh will be returned to the site, and integrated into an open public space that will stand at the heart of the new neighborhood.”
The discovery helps bring the biblical world to life, according to Dinesh D’Souza, an author, commentator and Christian apologist who spoke to Fox News Digital about the find.
Mikvehs are traditionally used for ritual purification, as seen in a 16th-century depiction above. (Culture Club/Bridgeman via Getty Images)
“It’s quite remarkable because I’ve seen these ritual baths, these mikveh[s],” D’Souza said.
“They’re usually pretty small.”
He added, “It gives you a vivid picture. In some ways, it brings the Bible to life, both the Old Testament and the New, because this mikveh reflects the times right around the time of Jesus.”
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He added, “This is confirming, describing, illuminating the world of the Bible. That’s one of the things that biblical archaeology can do. It can authenticate the historicity of the Bible — not the theology, not the miracles, but the historicity of it.”
D’Souza’s new book, “The Stones Cry Out,” as well as his documentary of the same name, were the result of extensive research into biblical archaeology. He pointed to the Pool of Siloam as a significant example of an ancient ritual bath with biblical connections.
Dinesh D’Souza, pictured above, told Fox News Digital that discoveries such as the mikveh can help bring the biblical world to life. (Fox News Digital; Israel Antiquities Authority)
“The Pool of Siloam connects to the temple by the Pilgrimage Road, a road on which almost certainly Jesus walked,” D’Souza said.
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“For me as a believer, it is chilling to sort of stand in these locations, observe them, walk the Pilgrimage Road, because in a sense you are connecting in a very experiential way with these profound artifacts of ancient times.”
The Pool of Siloam is an ancient site with significant biblical connections in Jerusalem. D’Souza, above at left, is seen standing with Ze’ev Orenstein at the Pool of Siloam. (Provided by Dinesh D’Souza)
D’Souza said he sees a broader significance in biblical archaeology beyond what such discoveries reveal about ancient Israel.
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“Western civilization and America are based on the sort of anchors or twin pillars of Athens and Jerusalem,” he said. “To me, the archaeology of Jerusalem is supporting that Jerusalem pillar of Athens and Jerusalem.”
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“In other words, there is a relevance not just to Israel, but to Western civilization as a whole and specifically to America.”