Dura Europos / Doura Europos / Dura Europus / Δούρα Ευρωπός / nr. Salahiyeh

This earliest example of baptistery, from ca. 230, "was found at Dura Europos, and is rectangular in shape" (Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion). Described and illustrated in Bowerstock (1999). In Ferguson (2009) with measurements of the font. A reconstruction of this baptistery and font exists at the Yale University Art Gallery [who kindly provided the image presented here]: a photograph of the reproduction of this font shows a rectangular tub about two feet tall and 8-10 feet long on the outside; the inner basin is also rectangular and appears to be about 6-8 feet long by 2-3 feet wide. Built against the wall, it has a canopy-like cover all the way to the ceilling; in the front it is arched and rests on two plain pillars, one at each side of the length of the tub; the arch itself is divided in seven sections, five of which have a motif painted on it (fruit or foliage); the spandrels to the left and right of the upper arch have a double-triangle motif as ornament. The visible side has a smaller arch. The wall on the right of the room shows partially restored frescoes which include two human figures and a tomb-like monument. One of the sources, Bowerstock (1999) mentions "a representation of the Good Shepherd over the baptismal font", which Ferguson (2009) locates "on the west wall behind the baptismal font".