Torreblacos / Torre de Blacos / Torreblancos

Listed and illustrated in the Enciclopedia del románico [https://www.romanicodigital.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/files/soria_TORREBLACOS.pdf] [accessed 27 August 2023]: a hemispherical bain with decorated sides on a round base; similar to several others in the area [cf. infra]: "En el baptisterio se conserva una pila bautismal del mismo momento que guarda un gran parecido con las de Cantalucia, Calatañazor, Nafría la Llana, La Cuenca, Nódalo y La Barbolla. Presenta un pie cilíndrico y una copa semiesférica (123 cm de diámetro × 89 cm de altura) decorada con un bocel en el borde superior y bajo él unos roleos enmarcados por dos bandas de contario, motivo que se repite en los ejemplares antes mencionados, así como en las portadas de las iglesias de Calatañazor y Nafría la Llana. La mitad inferior la ocupa una sucesión de arcos de medio punto con pequeños capiteles que apoyan sobre tripétalas de largos tallos que se extienden hacia la base." Described and illustrated in García Gómez (2007), who notes that the font at Calatañazor served as the model for the fonts at Nafría la Llana, La Barbolla, La Cuenca, Torreblacos, etc, all in Soria province. García Gómez (ibid.) notes it as one of several decorated in similar fashion; some (Matanza de Soria, Vadillo and Zayuelas de Soria), are rather crude; others, like Cantalucia and Torreblacos, have flatter but more sophisticated carvings. The hemispherical basin has a vine around its upper side, below wich runs a blind arcade of round arch-heads without supports; the ornamentation shows fine workmanship and is done in shallow relief; the rim has a roll moulding all around, giving the upper rim surface a marked groove. [described and illustrated in http://www.posadadelcanonigo.es/pagese/ruta2.htm]. Baptismal font in the shape of a roughly hemispherical basin decorated with a roll moulding at the upper rim, then a single line of tiny quadrangular bead-like motifs, followed down by a band with a lovely tendril, another line of the bead-like motif; then a beatufully rendered blind arcade of round arches, an, finally, a band of foliage. The columns of the arcade are very short, almost negligible compared with the size of the arches, and topped with lovely capitals. The web site of the Asociación Tierras Sorianas del Cid [www.tierrasdelcid.es] describes the font now at the parish church as "a huge Romanesque font placed at the foot of the nave; it is very large and decorated with roll mouldings and a blind arcade of round arches" [our translation]. Illustrated in the Guía turística del sur de Soria (2003).