Scientists from Poland during excavations in Auschwitz discovered a mikveh – a Jewish ritual bath, built 300 years ago. It is reported by Heritage Daily .
Archaeological work at Auschwitz was carried out in preparation for the construction of an underground car park. Here, the researchers found a number of medieval objects and a wooden mikveh bath built 300 years ago.
A mikveh is a bath used for ritual cleansing in Judaism. The rules for building a mikveh are set out in the Torah. One of the main ones: the mikveh must be connected to a natural source fed by a river or rainwater.
The mikveh is in good condition, which is unusual as the wood tends to decompose and be destroyed by bacteria and fungi. This bath was practically in a swamp, which prevented the growth of bacteria.
It is known that Jews first settled in Auschwitz in the second half of the 16th century. The wooden bathhouse found by the researchers dates back to the 17th-18th centuries, and therefore is a historical and architectural value that tells about the life of Jews in Auschwitz.
