Celorico da Beira

Baptismal font of tub shape decorated with a round moulding around the upper rim, and a partial two-strand braid halfway down the side; the braid runs only about 2/3 of the circumference and it is obvious the uncarved part was meant to be hidden against the wall or in a corner. Joost Limburg [e-mail communication to BSI, 23 October 2014] writes: "The decoration runs for about two thirds along the basin, I think because the font stood originally with its back to the wall. At first I found it strange that who put it (back) in its current place didn't bother to turn it about 90 degrees counterclockwise so the decoration would be visible at the whole of the front, but then I noticed that if you'd try to do so, the font will crumble and fall into pieces. The stone is in bad condition, just touch it and sand and dust rain down. The basin is quite wide, about 1 metre across on the outside."