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Unique double baptistery and mysterious marble block uncovered at Byzantine cathedral in Israel

Phys · · 981 words · By Sandee Oster

Archaeologists discovered a Byzantine-era cathedral in Hippos, Israel, featuring a rare second baptistery and a unique marble block with three cavities. The findings provide insights into early Christian liturgical practices, including possible multiple anointing rituals during baptism. Further excavations are limited by modern infrastructure.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-04-unique-baptistery-mysterious-marble-block.html

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13 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

help Insufficient Evidence 8
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“researchers Dr. Michael Eisenberg and Dr. Arleta Kowalewska describe a recently excavated Byzantine-period cathedral at Hippos”
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“the cathedral has a second photisterion (baptismal hall), making it the only known early cathedral with two photisteria”
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“a unique marble block with three cavities was uncovered, unprecedented in archaeology”
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“the ancient city of Hippos was part of the Roman Decapolis, located about 2 km east of the Sea of Galilee”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac (Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39), frequently known as the Miracle of the (Gadarene) Swine and the exorcism of Legion, is one of the miracles performed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcism_of_the_Gerasene_demon…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The First Jewish–Roman War (66–73/74 CE), also known as the War of Destruction, the Great Jewish Revolt, the First Jewish Revolt, or the Jewish War, was the first of three major Jewish rebellions agai…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Jewish–Roman_War
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hippos (Ancient Greek: Ἵππος, lit. 'Horse') or Sussita (Aramaic, Hebrew: סוסיתא) is an ancient city and archaeological site located on a hill 2 km east of the Sea of Galilee, attached by a topographic…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippos_(Golan_Heights)
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“Hippos was established by the Seleucids and flourished during the Roman period”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Decapolis (Greek: Δεκάπολις, Dekápolis, 'Ten Cities') was a group of ten Greek Hellenistic cities on the eastern frontier of the Greek and late Roman Empire in the Southern Levant in the first cen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapolis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hippos (Ancient Greek: Ἵππος, lit. 'Horse') or Sussita (Aramaic, Hebrew: סוסיתא) is an ancient city and archaeological site located on a hill 2 km east of the Sea of Galilee, attached by a topographic…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippos_(Golan_Heights)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Seleucid army was the army of the Seleucid Empire, the largest of the Hellenistic states that emerged after the death of Alexander the Great. As with the other major Hellenistic armies, the Seleu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_army
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“Hippos was the only Christian city near the Sea of Galilee by the 6th century”
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“the cathedral was partially excavated in the 1950s by the Israel Department of Antiquities”
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“new excavations began in 2021 by the Hippos Excavation Project”
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“a southern wing (diakonikon) containing two halls divided into three spaces was uncovered”
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“the marble block was found near the baptismal font and may have held oils for ritual anointment”
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“a reliquary, bronze candelabrum, and decorative supporting block were uncovered”
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“further excavations are limited by the infrastructure of a nearby modern park”
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“the Hippos Excavations Project will focus on necropoleis in the coming years”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.