Bekalta / Békalta / El Gaalla / Thapsus / بقالطة

Image copyright © Habib M’henni, 2020

GFDL / CC-BY-SA-30

Results: 7 records

information

Scene Description: Source caption: "Musée archéologique de Sousse"

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Wael Ghabara, 2015

Image Source: digital photograph 4 January 2015 by Wael Ghabara [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sousse_museum_82.jpg] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-4.0

inscription

Scene Description: Source caption: "De doopvont van Bekalta. Byzantijns tijdperk, 6de eeuw. El Gaalla tussen Bekalta en Teboulba. Archeologisch Museum van Sousse"

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Ad Meskens, 2012

Image Source: digital photograph 1 August 2012 by Ad Meskens [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sousse_baptismal_font.JPG] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: GFDL / CC-BY-SA-30

symbol - chrismon - Alpha and Omega

Scene Description: Source caption: "De doopvont van Bekalta. Byzantijns tijdperk, 6de eeuw. El Gaalla tussen Bekalta en Teboulba. Archeologisch Museum van Sousse"

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Ad Meskens, 2012

Image Source: digital photograph 1 August 2012 by Ad Meskens [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sousse_baptismal_font_02.JPG] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: GFDL / CC-BY-SA-30

symbol - motifs and symbols - varied

Scene Description: mosaid compositions with animals, symbols and design motifs all around

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Ad Meskens, 2012

Image Source: digital photograph 1 August 2012 by Ad Meskens [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sousse_baptismal_font.JPG] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: GFDL / CC-BY-SA-30

view of basin - interior

Scene Description: Source caption: "Musée archéologique de Sousse"

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Wael Ghabara, 2015

Image Source: digital photograph 4 January 2015 by Wael Ghabara [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sousse_museum_94.jpg] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-4.0

view of context

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Wakowlk, 2013

Image Source: digital photograph 14 August 2013 by Wakowlk [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bekalta_communauté.JPG] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: CC-BY-SA-3.0

view of font

Scene Description: Source caption: "Baptistère retrouvée dans la région de Békalta (Monastir) exposée au musée archéologique de Sousse"

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Habib M’henni, 2020

Image Source: ditital photograph 23 September 2013 by Habib M’henni [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baptistère_de_Bekalta_au_musée_archéologique_de_Sousse,_septembre_2013_(02).jpg] [accessed 30 September 2022]

Copyright Instructions: GFDL / CC-BY-SA-30

INFORMATION

FontID: 24329BEK
Museum and Inventory Number: Musée archéologique de Sousse
Church/Chapel: [archaeological site]
Church Location: 5090 Bekalta, Tunisia
Country Name: Tunisia / Tūnis
Location: Monastir / al Munasrir
Directions to Site: Located 14 km NE of Mahdia, about 30 km ESE of Monastir, 40 km of Sousse [where the font is now installed]; 185 km from the country's capital
Font Location in Church: [in a museum]
Century and Period: 6th century, Early Christian
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Pol Herman for bringing this font to our attention and for his help in documenting it.
Noted in Late Ancient Christianity (Minneapolis: Fortres Press, 2010: 140-141), which gives a translation of the full inscription: "Glory to God in the highest, and in earth peace to all people of good will". Noted and illustrated in Patout Burns and Robin M. Jensen's Christianity in Roman Africa: The Development of Its Practices and Beliefs (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2014). The sunken piscina type of font is rectangular outside (220 x 250 cm), while the interior is octafoiled,; the 'foils' alternate between round and square, and resemble a sitting arrangement all around a central well that is square on the outside but round inside, the latter presumably the spot where the catechumen/s would stand to receive baptism; the bottom of this central well is decorated with a mosaic of a large chrismon with the hanging alopha and omega on the horizontal arms of the Greek cross. Remains of a Latin inscription are stil visible on the upper rim. The whole surface of the marble font surface is covered in intricate mosaics -except where missing- contaning a multitude of bired, flowers and other symbols and motifs.

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, marble
Font Shape: rectangular (sunken)
Basin Interior Shape: octafoiled
Basin Exterior Shape: rectangular
Notes on Measurements: overall outer measurement approx.: 220 x 250 cm

INSCRIPTION

Inscription Language: Latin
Inscription Notes: Eng. translation: "Glory to God in the highest, and in earth peace to all people of good will" [cf. FontNotes]
Inscription Location: around the outer rim
Inscription Text: "[...] OMINIBVS BONE / BOLVMTA [...]
Inscription Source: [cf. FontNotes]