Archaeologists have uncovered a large complex of ritual baths near the southern entrance to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, shedding new light on how ancient Jewish pilgrims prepared to enter the sacred site. The discovery was made at the Ophel archaeological site adjacent to the Old City during five excavation seasons led by Professors Uzi Leibner and Orit Peleg-Barkat from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Institute of Archaeology.

The complex, spanning approximately 280 square meters, features a central plastered pool surrounded by several mikvaot—ritual baths used for purification in Jewish tradition. It is situated near the sealed "Triple Gate," known from historical sources as one of the main gateways leading to the Temple Mount during the Second Temple period (516 BCE–70 CE). Archaeologists say this gate once granted access via an underground staircase ascending to the Temple Mount’s main plaza, a route used by pilgrims who needed to ritually cleanse themselves before entering the holy precinct.

At the heart of the excavation is a large immersion pool measuring about 12 by 9.5 meters, dated to the early first century CE, with steps descending into the water from all four sides. Nearby, researchers uncovered a finely dressed stone structure containing four rooms, three of which were identified as mikvaot, also dating to the early first century CE. Notably, these ritual baths contain rare drain holes, suggesting they could be emptied and refilled with running water—a feature uncommon for mikvaot of the period, which typically relied on collected rainwater.

The running water supply is believed to have been connected to the aqueduct system bringing water from the Hebron Hills, with an extensive drainage network channeling wastewater into the Kidron Valley. Excavations uncovered drainage tunnels more than two meters tall, where coins and pottery fragments from the era were found.

Beneath this Second Temple period complex, the team revealed an earlier public purification installation dated to the first century BCE. This previous mikveh was likely rendered unusable when the later drainage channel was constructed. The entire complex is believed to have been destroyed during the Roman siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE, corroborated by numerous coins dated to the First Jewish Revolt scattered throughout the site.

Following its destruction, the area remained abandoned for several centuries before becoming the location of Byzantine domestic structures. One of the mikvaot survived remarkably well, maintaining its vaulted stone roof and water shaft; during the Byzantine era, it appears to have been repurposed as a water reservoir.

The excavation contributes significant insight into the infrastructure supporting the large influx of pilgrims visiting the Temple during the Second Temple period. According to the researchers, the findings illuminate the spatial planning around the Temple Mount’s southern gates and the ritual practices undertaken by worshippers before ascending to the sacred precinct.

The project was conducted by the Hebrew University’s Institute of Archaeology in cooperation with the Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology, and funded by the Israel Science Foundation, the Armstrong Institute, and the Hertog Center for the Archaeological Study of Jerusalem.