This is a very interesting news story on the discovery of John the Baptist’s cave by British archaeologist Shimon Gibson. Be sure to check out the pictures.

Tons of pottery shards were found from what archeologists believe were used as jars for for baptism There are amazing wall carvings telling the story of John the Baptist and a stone carved out for footwashing at the bottom of the 28 steps descending into the cave.

Not mentioned in the AP story, but on a website where you can preorder Gibson’s forthcoming book, The Cave of John the Baptist, the book description tells a little more: “For here is the largest ritual bathing pool ever found in the Jerusalem area, and found in the village where John the Baptist was born, showing unmistakable signs of ritual use in the first century AD. Also in the cave is the earliest ever Christian art, depicting John the Baptist as well as the three crosses of the crucifixion.”