In Jerusalem is to start digging and find something unexpected. Recently one family found under their home is a real treasure of Jesus ‘ time. Besides, in a place that is the birthplace of John the Baptist.
Wife tal and Oriya bought in Jerusalem’s old house and decided to make a repair. This idea became a huge surprise.
“One day while working one of the tools just slid down. It disappeared! We realized that there’s something there. In one room we found a hole — says Oria. — We stopped working tools began digging by hand and found it. We don’t really understand what it is.”
Raising the floor in the living room, the couple found two thousand years of the mikvah — a pool for ritual ablution from the Jews.
“We are a little afraid to contact the Israel antiquities authority. We didn’t know what would happen to our house if we live in it, as before, — says the owner of the house, telling why for nearly three years, the family kept the discovery a secret. But this discovery did not give us rest. We felt that there’s something important that belongs not only to us,” he continues.
By law, all antiquities found during construction works, it is necessary to report. And in a country with thousands of years of history like this can happen anywhere. Their home is in the area of Ein Karem, which occupies in the history of a special place. Since the beginning of the VI century of our era, Christians began to consider the area the birth place of John the Baptist, where Elizabeth, the mother of John met Miriam, the mother of Jesus.
As a result, spouses appealed to the authorities.
“I saw a huge pool for ritual ablutions Dating from the Second Temple period, says archaeologist Amit Reem. — Here in this district, must have lived some important person, probably a priest, and he had his own pool,” he suggests. The archaeologist also reported that inside the mikvah discovered pottery and stone vessels.
Oriya is recognized that often thinks about the people who lived here: “I’m trying to hear the messages that they left us. This is a very unusual place to stay”.
The couple try to establish a life in their historic home: “I Think we will close doors, lay the carpet, put the chairs and try to return to normal life, says Oria. — However, let us remember that this place is one important story related to us.”