Arisgotas

Described as an interesting font in a church that has many Visigothic remnants [NB: not known whether or not the font belongs to the old Visigothic church]. Details of the font, illustrations and information on its removal during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) are given in the Villa de Orgaz web site [https://www.villadeorgaz.es/orgaz-patrimonio-desaparecido-pila.html] [accessed 23 May 2025]; included in the extensive report is a similar holy-water stoup: "5. Objeto: Pila bautismal, piedra caliza semidura con inscripción en el aro superior, al parecer del siglo XII al siglo XIII. 6. Objeto: Pila de agua bendita con su peana semejante al número anterior excepto la inscripción (tres piezas)." The same source informs that, although official reports of the return of the pieces were filed after the Civil War, the font and the stoup were never seen in Arisgotas since. The web site (ibid.) shows several photographs of both the font and its removal; one of the photographs shows the font as consisting of a large hemispherical basin raised on an octagonal pedestal base; the basin shows considerable damage to its upper rim, probably related to the metal anchorings of the font cover, a band below with an inscription [text not available] and a pattern of well-defined ribs covering the rest the sides and underbowl: "En el Acta de incautación se dice que la pila era de "piedra caliza semidura con inscripción en el aro superior". Debía, por tanto, tratarse de una pieza labrada en piedra cuya copa era de forma semiesférica, que tenía el borde superior liso, con una cenefa que incorporaba decoración geométrica, y que en su parte inferior presentaba gallones, elemento decorativo muy frecuente en este tipo de pilas. La copa debía sustentarse sobre un fuste posiblemente cilíndrico que se apoyaría sobre el pedestal octogonal que a día de hoy se conserva en el sotocoro de la iglesia de Arisgotas." The above source (ibid.) informs also about the modern replacement font installed in the place of the disappeared one. An additional source, an article by IVÁN DUEÑAS in the ABC edition of 2 June 2015 [https://www.abc.es/toledo/20150602/abcp-iglesia-arisgotas-luce-replica-20150602.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F] [accessed 23 May 2025] informs that the modern font, installed in 2007, is a replica made from the archival photographic sources [cf. supra]: "La copa mide 45 centímetros de alto por 90 de diámetro. El pie tiene 26 de diámetro y 55 de alto. En total, las dos partes pesan 460 kilos. El exterior luce cincelado con 16 gallones y una epigrafía tomada del capítulo 16 del Evangelio de San Marcos que campea a lo largo del perímetro circular." [NB: we cannot corroborate whether the text of the inscription on the old font was that of the one carved on the new font, Mark 16:16].