Bekalta baptistry

The Baptistery of Bekalta, also known as the Baptistery of El Gaalla, is a 6th- or 7th-century Christian baptismal basin decorated with purple mosaics and noted for its state of preservation. It was discovered at the end of the 20th century near Bekalta, in Monastir Governorate, Tunisia. The discovery of the baptistery occurred accidentally during land-leveling operations associated with a quarry that occupied the site of the archaeological remains. The quarrying activity damaged the structures of the religious complex to which the baptismal basin belonged. Accounts differ regarding the initial condition of the site before this disturbance; in any case, the complex could not be subjected to a comprehensive archaeological study. The baptistery is now one of the principal works in the Sousse Archaeological Museum. Baptismal basins decorated with mosaics are considered rare among known archaeological remains. Its polylobed form, unusual in the context of religious architecture, is regarded as a distinctive feature.

Monument data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).