The Unique Photisteria of the Cathedral of Hippos above the Sea of Galilee: New Evidence for Early Byzantine Christian Initiation

Recent excavations at the Byzantine-period cathedral of Hippos above the Sea of Galilee have exposed part of an annexed photisterion (a hall with a baptismal font) and have fully exposed the cathedral. Among the exposed ecclesiastical items is a unique marble stone with three hemispheric cavities, probably meant to hold oils, which is previously unattested and may shed light on the baptism-related rites practiced in the Hippos cathedral. The second photisterion in this church complex is the largest known in the Land of Israel, making the Hippos cathedral the only early church known to date with two photisteria. The larger hall was meant for adult baptism, while the smaller was for infants.

These unusual finds are introduced here to spark discussion of the photisteria's full interpretation and how it expands our knowledge of Byzantine-period Christian initiation processes and baptismal rites within urban Christian communities in Byzantine Palestine.

In the published archaeological study, a photisterion is defined as a hall or chamber containing a baptismal font. Functioning as a dedicated baptismal space, the photisterion served as the architectural and liturgical setting for Christian baptism and related initiation practices within Early Byzantine churches and cathedral complexes.

Hippos was an important city of the Decapolis positioned above the Sea of Galilee. During the Byzantine period it became a significant Christian centre and served as an episcopal seat. Archaeological investigation of the cathedral complex revealed a remarkable feature: two photisteria associated with the same church building.

Published 2026 research identifies the southern photisterion as a later addition to the cathedral complex. This southern photisterion contained a baptismal font alongside a remarkable assemblage of liturgical objects, including a large bronze candelabrum, a marble reliquary, and a marble block with three hemispherical cavities. These cavities are cautiously interpreted as potentially connected with oils used in baptism-related rites.

At the time of publication, the Hippos cathedral represented the only early church then known to feature two photisteria. This discovery raises significant archaeological and historical questions concerning the practice of baptism, Christian initiation rituals, and the liturgical life of the Byzantine-period Christian community at Hippos.

Michael Eisenberg, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Haifa and a researcher associated with the Zinman Institute of Archaeology.

He received his PhD from the University of Haifa in 2008. Eisenberg has been closely involved with archaeological research at Hippos-Sussita since the beginning of the major excavation project in 2000. He directs the Hippos Excavations Project and has also served as a co-director of the Hippos Regional Project.

His research concentrates on the archaeology of Hippos and the Decapolis, Hellenistic and Roman urbanism, military architecture and siege warfare, Roman-period funerary architecture, Early Christian architecture and art, and the transformation of cities and communities in Late Antiquity.

His fieldwork and publications have made Hippos one of the most extensively investigated Greco-Roman and Byzantine urban sites in the region east of the Sea of Galilee.

Michael Eisenberg, PhD, presents at the European Hebrew Journal International Scholarly Online Conference 2026 on 9 November 2026 at 11:00 CET (Serbia time) with the presentation:

"The Unique Photisteria of the Cathedral of Hippos above the Sea of Galilee: New Evidence for Early Byzantine Christian Initiation."