Pages: 67-71

The typology of baptisteries of Byzantine Cherson of 6th—9th centuries is studied in the article. By the middle of the 7th century, each region of the city had its own temple with a baptistery, and their total number could reach nine. The overwhelming number of baptismal fonts were of small size and depth, and were intended for the baptismal rite, mainly over small children. Such baptisteries did not need any catechumens or hrismarions. In four cases the ponds of small fonts were raised above the floor and attached to the wall, but there were also fonts built in level with the floor, for the baptism of adults. The ponds were cut down in the rock, wrought from solid stone or built from plinth with the cement. They were shaped as a circle, polyhedron, semicircle, rectangle, or a three-conchal cross. There are finds of portable, mobile marble fonts. Baptisteries of Cherson can be divided into two groups: built as a detached building or as a part of a temple (the latter are most numerous). Among them, there are a few processional, “enfilade” baptisteries and more numerous single-chamber baptisteries. Arranged most often in the southern part of the temple, they had access to the altar. In addition, among them there were baptisteries of pure type and baptistery-martyria (at the Western basilica, “temple with the ark” no. 19 and in baptistery no. 24 at the Great Basilica). They reveal a noticeable influence of the Christian East.

Keywords: Byzantium, Cherson, Crimea, baptistery, baptismal font, sacrament of baptism

Information about author:

Serghei Sorochan (Kharkiv, Ukraine). Doctor of Historical Sciences. V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Svobody Sq., 6, Kharkiv, 61022, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]