Archaeologists have uncovered a 1,600-year-old Jewish ritual bath, or mikveh, in Italy, making it the oldest of its kind in Europe. The mikveh was found at the archaeological site of Ostia Antica and is described as a small semi-underground room with a well underneath. The discovery is significant as mikvehs are used by Jews for ritual purification and the decline of these baths in Europe can be attributed to the Roman persecution of Jews in the first century. The recent find strengthens the historical awareness of the Jewish presence in the heart of Roman times.