The Shimshoni family was doing a little spring cleaning when they found a 2,000-year-old ritual bath under their living room floor, the Times of Israel reported.
Archaeologist Amit Reem said this bath may have belonged to a first century Jewish village family that used the bath for ritual purity," which includes practices similar to baptism in modern religions.
Reem said the bath is a "significant find" because its evidence that there was a Jewish community in the Ein Kerem village, which many believed to also be the town in the hill country of Judea the birthplace of John the Baptist, the Times of Israel reported.
Finding antiquities under a private home or public building only happens in Israel, and in Jerusalem particularly, Reem said. Every time its thrilling anew.
Take a look at the bath in this slideshow.
Archaeologist Amit Reem said this bath may have belonged to a first century Jewish village family that used the bath for ritual purity," which includes practices similar to baptism in modern religions.
Reem said the bath is a "significant find" because its evidence that there was a Jewish community in the Ein Kerem village, which many believed to also be the town in the hill country of Judea the birthplace of John the Baptist, the Times of Israel reported.
Finding antiquities under a private home or public building only happens in Israel, and in Jerusalem particularly, Reem said. Every time its thrilling anew.
Take a look at the bath in this slideshow.