Jewish ritual bath discovered near Rome is the 'oldest discovery of its kind in the world'

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A Jewish ritual bath known as a mikvah discovered in Ostia Antica is more than 1,500 years old.

Photograph looking down a short set of marble stairs into a narrow, empty pool with an apsidal end
A view into the mikvah found at Ostia Antica. (Image credit: Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica)

Archaeologists working at Ostia Antica, an ancient Roman port city, have discovered the oldest Jewish ritual bath outside of the Middle East, along with an oil lamp decorated with a menorah dated to the fifth to sixth centuries.

The discovery of the ritual bath, known as a mikvah, "confirms the extent of the continuous presence, role and importance of the Jewish community in Ostia throughout the Imperial age [of Rome]," Alessandro D'Alessio, director of the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, said in a translated statement.

During excavation of the mikvah, the archaeologists also found fragments of plaster and marble, black-and-white mosaics, statues and oil lamps. One of the lamps was decorated with the image of a menorah on the top, and on the bottom, it had a depiction of a lulav, a palm frond often used in the Jewish autumn holiday Sukkot.

The combination of the structure and artifacts means that "it is probable that this was a Jewish community center," Riccardo Di Segni, chief rabbi of the Jewish Community of Rome, said in the statement. "The history of the Jews of Rome is enriched today by another invaluable monument that testifies to their ancient settlement."

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Ceramic oil lamp made out of orange-colored clay. There are two holes for the wick and the flame, and it is decorated with an incised menorah.

An oil lamp found at Ostia Antica has a menorah decoration. (Image credit: Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica)

The Jewish presence in Rome dates back to the second century B.C., and by the time of the Roman Empire, the Jewish community had grown considerably. Although they were a religious minority, Roman Jews were generally accepted. This was particularly true in large and cosmopolitan cities such as Ostia, a port city just 19 miles (30 kilometers) west of Rome.

Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli said in the statement that the mikvah discovery "strengthens the historical awareness of Ostia as a true crossroads of coexistence and exchange of cultures, a cradle of tolerance between different peoples who found unity in Roman civilization."

The oldest archaeological examples of mikva'ot date back to the late first century B.C. and were widespread in the Roman province of Judaea. However, they declined in number as Rome took over the region, particularly following the Jewish-Roman wars between A.D. 66 and 135, the statement reported.

Another contender for the oldest mikvah outside the Middle East is one at an ancient temple on Russia's Taman Peninsula. However, while some argue that this temple dates to the late first century B.C. or first century A.D., others say more information is needed to securely date it. The mikvah recently found at Ostia therefore represents the earliest well-dated example of the structure outside of Judaea.

"The mikvah is the sign of a living presence that has perpetuated itself over the centuries and shows us today the demonstration of an identity that many generations of Jews have managed to preserve, defend and enhance," Victor Fadlun, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, said in the statement.

The archaeological park is currently working to make the mikvah area accessible to the public.

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Kristina Killgrove
Kristina Killgrove
Staff writer

Kristina Killgrove is a staff writer at Live Science with a focus on archaeology and paleoanthropology news. Her articles have also appeared in venues such as Forbes, Smithsonian, and Mental Floss. Kristina holds a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and an M.A. in classical archaeology from the University of North Carolina, as well as a B.A. in Latin from the University of Virginia, and she was formerly a university professor and researcher. She has received awards from the Society for American Archaeology and the American Anthropological Association for her science writing.