Christian building and western city wall during excavation

YUAG, Dura-Europos Collection, negative number: dura-fc3~01

The discovery of the Christian building and its wall paintings during the fifth excavation season in 1931-32 delighted the Yale-French team, and together with the discovery of the synagogue during the following season, provided the impetus for securing additional funding and continuing the excavations rather than winding down the project as had been planned. The workers on the left of this photograph are standing just below the massive embankment built along the western city wall, and several more are visible on top of the wall on the right. The Christian building was a standard Durene house with rooms located around a central courtyard that was adapted for the needs of its congregants. This photograph provides a clear view of how the newly excavated rooms had been filled in during the construction of the embankment. The large room on the left of the courtyard had been renovated for use as an assembly hall for the celebration of the Eucharist. The baptistery with its pillared canopy is visible on the right of the courtyard.

 

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