Tekoa / Taqua / Thekoa / Teqoa / Teqo'a / Teqo 'ah / Thecue / Thequ'a / Theqo'a / Tekoah / Tequ'a / Tuqu'a / تقوع

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Results: 9 records

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symbol - cross - Greek - pattée

Scene Description: in one of the panels of the basin; it has lilly heads between the arms

Image Source: digital image of an undated B&W photograph [original image source unknown -- reproduced in www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mad/discussion/075discuss.html -- tracing in progress]

Copyright Instructions: Assumed PD

symbol - star - 8 points

Scene Description: on one of the sides

Image Source: digital image of a 1940 B&W photograph in the Library of Congress' Matson (G. Eric and Edith) Photograph Collection [https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2019711232/] [accessed 20 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: No known restrictions on publication. For information see: "G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection,"(https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/res.258.mats)

view of font

Scene Description: Source caption: "Teku'a, the site of Tekoa. Showing the remains of a Byzantine church, and its massive baptismal font of octagonal form."

Image Source: edited detail of a digital image of an 1881 illustration in Teku'a, the site of Tekoa. Showing the remains of a Byzantine church, and its massive baptismal font of octagonal form, in the NYPL collections [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Teku%27a,_the_site_of_Tekoa._Showing_the_remains_of_a_Byzantine_church,_and_its_massive_baptismal_font_of_octagonal_form_(NYPL_b10607452-80686).tiff] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: PD US expired / PD-scan (PD-US-expired)

view of font

Image Source: digital image of an undated B&W photograph [original image source unknown -- reproduced in www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mad/discussion/075discuss.html -- tracing in progress]

Copyright Instructions: Assumed PD

view of font

Scene Description: [cf. FontNotes]

Image Source: digital photograph July 2020 by Ma'ans News Agency in Yumna Patel's Palestinians say Israel stole ancient baptismal font from Bethlehem town in and article in Mondoweisss 20 July 2020 [https://mondoweiss.net/2020/07/palestinians-say-israel-stole-ancient-baptismal-font-from-bethlehem-town/] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

view of font in context

Scene Description: Source caption: "Opening of augmented water source in Jaamri Country at Ain Hamda, S.E. of Bethlehem. Byzantine baptismal font at Takoa, Mr. W.R. McGeagh, Mr. Sommerville & Mr. Faraj"

Copyright Instructions: No known restrictions on publication. For information see: "G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection,"(https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/res.258.mats)

view of font in context

Image Source: digital image of an 1881 illustration in Teku'a, the site of Tekoa. Showing the remains of a Byzantine church, and its massive baptismal font of octagonal form, in the NYPL collections [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Teku%27a,_the_site_of_Tekoa._Showing_the_remains_of_a_Byzantine_church,_and_its_massive_baptismal_font_of_octagonal_form_(NYPL_b10607452-80686).tiff] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: PD US expired / PD-scan (PD-US-expired)

view of font in context

Scene Description: showing the font loaded on a truck [cf. FontNotes]

Image Source: digital photograph in PIME asia news [[https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Israeli-soldiers-seize-5th-century-baptismal-font-near-Bethlehem-50624.html] [accessed 2 October 2020]

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

view of font in context

Scene Description: Source caption: "In a predawn operation, and escorted by IDF troops, the unit [i.e., COGAT] retrieved the item which dates back to the 5th century CE, during the Byzantine period"

Image Source: digital photograph 20 July 2020by COGAT/TOI [https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-says-ancient-baptismal-font-stolen-20-years-ago-retrieved-in-west-bank/] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

INFORMATION

FontID: 10286TEK

Church/Chapel: [Church of St Nicholas? -- in ruins]

Church Patron Saints: St. Nicholas of Myra?

Country Name: Israel? / Palestine?

Location: Bethlehem

Directions to Site: Located off local road 3157, in the municipality and about 6-7 km SSE of Bethlehem, about 3 kms SW of the grotto of St Chariton, on the West Bank

Historical Region: Judea

Font Location in Church: [unknown]

Century and Period: 5th - 7th century, Early Christian

Cognate Fonts: [cf. FontNotes]

Font Notes: Click to view font notes

A number of sources --Cassini (1847), Escobar (1976), Orr (1915)-- document the existence of two early churches in this site, as well a baptismal font probably belonging to one of them, the Church of St. Nicholas; the font itself was noted to the north of this church. The font is monolithic and octagonal outside, round on the inside, and made of a rose-red limestone; a blurry photograph [original source and date unknown -- tracing in progress] shows the obviously battered object with a person leaning on it, which helps determine roughly the approximate height of the font to about three feet or one meter above ground, a measurement consistent with the height of most raised baptismal fonts [but this one was partly buried]. The estimated diameter would be probably four to five feet, 1.2 to 1.5 m approximately [cf. infra]. The octagonal font has at least two symbols as decoration: on one side is an eight-point star, in a square; on another, a cross symbol carved into a square on one of the eight panels; the cross appears to be of the Greeg pattee type, with little lilly flower-heads between the arms; the sides of the font show that only the upper two thirds were finished, leaving the lower third rough, and indication that it was made to be buried in the ground to that height. [NB: the very font of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity is also of that shape, as are some of the early and Romanesque fonts in Italy; one more such a font is in the museum at Split, Croatia, somewhat similar fonts, but cylindrical in nearby Herodium, etc. -- cf. corresponding Index entries] -- NB: this font was reported and illustrated in Yumna Patel's Palestinians say Israel stole ancient baptismal font from Bethlehem town in and article in Mondoweisss 20 July 2020 [https://mondoweiss.net/2020/07/palestinians-say-israel-stole-ancient-baptismal-font-from-bethlehem-town/] [accessed 30 September 2022]. A 20 July 2020 article by TOI [Times of Israel] staff, Israel says ancient baptismal font, stolen 20 years ago, retrieved in West Bank [https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-says-ancient-baptismal-font-stolen-20-years-ago-retrieved-in-west-bank/] [accessed 30 September 2022] reports "Authorities say rock-hewn Byzantine item from 5th century CE was pilfered from ruined church at Tel Tekoa in 2000, while Palestinians says it is Israel that is the thief" and illustrates the 5th-century font. The removal of the font was reported 21 July 2020 in PIME asia news: "A group of Israeli soldiers at dawn Monday took a 5th century baptismal font from Tuqu, a town near Bethlehem, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported with video. The Byzantine-era artefact has great historical value. It is one of three of its kind in the Holy Land. One exists in the Church of the Nativity. The font, made from rose-coloured stone, was stolen in 2000 by people unknown but was recovered in 2002. Pending the construction of a museum, it stood in front of the mayor's house." An illustration of the font loaded on large transport vehicle accompanies the text [cf. ImagesArea] [https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Israeli-soldiers-seize-5th-century-baptismal-font-near-Bethlehem-50624.html] [accessed 2 October 2020]

COORDINATES

Church Latitude & Longitude Decimal: 31.636389, 35.214444

Church Latitude & Longitude DMS: 31° 38′ 11″ N, 35° 12′ 52″ E

UTM: 36R 710011 3502263

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, limestone (red-rose)

Number of Pieces: one

Font Shape: octagonal (unmounted)

Basin Interior Shape: round

Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal

Drainage Notes: no lining

Font Height (less Plinth): 150 cm*

Notes on Measurements: * [cf. FontNotes]

REFERENCES

Cassini da Perinaldo, Francesco, La Terra Santa, Genova: [dai fratelli Ferrando], 1855

Escobar, Juan, Tecoa, Jerusalem: Franciscan Press, [1976?]

Tsafrir, Yoram, Tabula imperii romani: Iudaea, Palestina: Eretz Israel in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods: maps and gazetteer, Jerusalem: The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 1994