A small mosaic found in 1888 provided the first clue to an early Christian building on the Illa del Rei. The patterns showed similarities with the mosaic in the Synagogue of Hamman-Lif.
Systematic excavations began in 1964 and revealed a basilica measuring 18.5 metres by 11.5 metres. The structure consists of three naves separated by columns, a circular baptismal pool, and the remains of an altar supported by a pillar. These features suggest the building was constructed after the Roman conquest of the East, likely in the first third of the 6th century.
The interior decoration follows a Syriac-African tradition. Archaeologists also identified nearby annex rooms, which has led to the suggestion that it could be a monastery. Its construction style shares similarities with the Basilica of Fornàs de Torelló.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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