Valence

Results: 4 records

INFORMATION

Font ID: 03642VAL
Object Type: Baptistery
Font Century and Period/Style: 6th - 7th century, Early Christian
Church / Chapel Name: Baptistery near the cathedral
Font Location in Church: [disappeared]
Church Address: [NB: address & coordinates given for the cathedral complex] 4 Pl. du Pendentif, 26000 Valence, France
Site Location: Doubs, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France, Europe
Directions to Site: Valence is about 90 km S of Lyon, about 80 km W of Grenoble. The disappeared baptistery site is located between the cathédrale Saint- Apollinaire and the Musée-Bibliothèque (former episcopal palace)
Font Notes:
Corblet (1881-1882, v. 2, p. 73-74) informs that during excavations near the south side of the cathedral, the foundations of a 6th-7th century baptistery were unearthed. The building was cruciform (Greek cross) and had one porch and three small apses. The excavation discovered the intake and drainage water conduits of the basin and also the fragments of the baptistery mosaic surface which depicted, among other subjects, the Fall of Eve, deer drinking from the four rivers, facing lions before a chalice with handles, crows, one of which appears to try and blind a hare who is protected by an eagle with spread wings, the river Jordan and other animals ornamenting the borders (deer, lion, crow, lamb and leopard).

COORDINATES

UTM: 31T 649111 4977039
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 44.931153, 4.889644
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 44° 55′ 52.15″ N, 4° 53′ 22.72″ E

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: unknown
Font Shape: cruciform, Greek cross
Drainage System: two drainage systems (intake & output)
Drainage Notes: [cf. Notes on Font]

REFERENCES

  • Les premiers monuments chrétiens de la France, Paris: A. Picard ; Ministère ce la culture et de la francophonie, Direction du patrimoine, Sous-direction de l'archéologue, 1995-1998, vol. 1: p. 211-212
  • Bond, Francis, Fonts and Font Covers, London: Waterstone, 1985 c1908, p. 20
  • Corblet, Jules, Histoire dogmatique, liturgique et archéologique du sacrement de baptême, Paris: V. Palme, 1881-1882, vol. 2, p. 73-74