A sponge is a simple sea animal in the Porifera family. The term "sponge" also describes their skeletal remains. Sponges have a body full of pores, tubules, and cells.
In ancient times, sponge fishing was popular in the Mediterranean, especially along the coasts of Anatolia and Syria. Divers harvested these sponges. The Bible references their use for absorbing liquids (Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36).