Statement

A Hasmonean palace at Jericho holds the oldest mikveh with a known date, believed to have been in use between 150 and 100 BCE. The Hasmoneans were priests, and other early mikvaot turn up in priestly settings; so it is supposed that priests were the ones who adopted the ritual bath, in order to enter the Temple in a state of purity. After 70, immersion stayed important for other reasons, such as women's purification after menstruation and conversion, a use that suggests Christian baptism may derive from it.

References

1. p. 106

   supports · figure caption · ch. 4

   Efron, Lehmann and Weitzman. The Jews: A History. 3rd edition. New York and Abingdon: Routledge, 2019.

   Section: Figure 4.6

   Verification anchor recorded · checked against the page text