Archaeologists uncover mysterious Christian artifact near waters tied to Jesus' ministry: 'No known parallel'

The city was once the only Christian city around the Sea of Galilee, controlling territory associated with Jesus' ministry.

The marble block was found in a hall of baptism called a photisterion. It may shed light on "a stage of the early Christian baptismal rite that has until now gone unrecorded," officials said.

Hippos' cathedral had two baptismal halls: one for adults, and another for infants and children, which is where the new object was found.

Officials described the artifact as "a rectangular block bearing three hemispheric cavities, found beside a baptismal font in a newly revealed ceremonial hall."

Researchers believe the block may have held three different oils used during a threefold baptismal immersion ceremony.

Pictures of the object show the weathered marble block with three bowl-shaped basins, suggesting it was designed to hold liquids side by side.

Early Christian baptisms more commonly involved two anointings before and after the rite - which makes the three-part design particularly unusual.

"The collapse buried the marble and bronze artifacts beneath the rubble, preserving them until their recent discovery," the release noted.

Officials added, "After extensive examination and comparison, the scholars concluded that no known parallels to the artifact exist."

The object was "nothing special at first glance," to the excavations, Eisenberg told Fox News Digital.

"But here is exactly where the archaeological and liturgical studies came into play."

"Realizing that it is a one-of-a-kind artifact that may fill unknown regional and perhaps wider lacunae in one of the most ancient and sacred Christian ceremonies was a complete surprise."

Eisenberg said the findings may "open a portal" to the development of baptism rituals in the early Christian world.

"In different regions, distinct liturgical traditions developed, many of which are not documented in written sources," the archaeologist said.

The find joins a long list of significant archaeological discoveries found at Hippos in recent years.