Experts have discovered a rare marble artifact that could completely change the history of baptism.
Archaeologists have been excavating the remains of a cathedral in the ancient city of Hippo in Israel, near the Sea of Galilee. According to the gospels, Jesus' earthly ministry centered around this area, making the site a key point in the history of Christianity.
At this site, the team found an unusual object – a piece of marble with three hemispherical pits, which are believed to have been separated to hold three different types of oils.
Traditionally, during baptisms, a person is anointed with two oils – one before the baptismal water and another after it.
But this new discovery shows that people once shaved three times, forcing historians to reconsider the early practice.
"Near the baptismal font we began to find extraordinary liturgical objects," said Dr. Michael Eisenberg from the University of Haifa.
"Only after careful research did we realize how special these are for understanding Christian rituals in the cradle of Christianity near the Sea of Galilee."
After extensive analysis and comparisons, the team concluded that no other similar marble artifact exists. They believe the discovery, around 1,300 years old, testifies to a lost phase of early baptismal rites.
"We suggest that the stone pits hold oil, perhaps three different types, which may be related to a local tradition of three-stage anointing during baptismal rites," the study, published in the journal Palestine Exploration Quarterly, says.
“Baptismal rites involved triple immersion, and sprinkling was often done before and after immersion, although the details varied constantly. The use of different oils is mentioned in some sources, but nowhere else is the use of three different oils clearly specified.”
The current excavation focused on a hall near the cathedral of Hippo, which was the central church in the region. They found a partially preserved room with a baptismal font – the second in the cathedral. This is the only known case in the archaeological record where a church contains two rooms dedicated to baptismal fonts.
It is thought that the larger hall was used for adult baptisms, while the smaller room, recently discovered, was used for the baptism of infants and children.
Among the most important finds were a bronze lamp, called a candelabrum, the largest ever discovered in Israel, and a marble reliquary, the largest of its kind in the country.
The hall was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 AD, covering the artifacts under rubble and preserving them until their recent discovery.
“Baptism was one of the central rites of Christian community life and gradually took shape during the Byzantine period,” said Dr Eisenberg.
"Different regions developed distinct liturgical traditions, many of which were not documented in writing. This discovery offers a rare glimpse into how the baptismal rite was shaped and practiced in the Byzantine community of Hippo." /GazetaExpress/
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