BAPTISTERY, (from to ?Posh,) a building, or apartment, designed for the administration of baptism.
In ancient times, baptism was performed by immersion, and the place fin• the purpose a pond or stream ; but about the middle of the third century, distinct or insulated houses were erected for the purpose. In 496, they were attached to the exterior sides of the church ; and in the sixth century, they were brought within the church; but though there might have been two or more churches in one city, vet, in general, there was only one baptistery ; and when it be came fashionable to dedicate the churches, that to which the baptistery belonged was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The baptismal churches in Italy were usually built near rivers and waters. In later times, the bishop of baptismal churches granted licenses to other churches to erect bap tisteries, taking care at the same time to maintain his own jurisdiction over the people.
The baptistery was an octagon building, covered with a cupola roof, adjacent to the church, but not forming a part of it.
In the interior was a hall. sufficient to contain a great number of people, on the sides of which was a number of apartments; sometimes, instead of these apartments, rooms were added on the outside, in the manner of cloisters: in the middle of the hall was an octagon bath, which, strictly speak ing, was the baptistery. Ind from which the whole building derived its appellation.
The most celebrated baptisteries are those of Route, Flo rence. and Pisa ; the most ancient is that of S. Giovanni in Fonte at Rome, said to have been erected by Constantine the Great. The plan of this building is octangular ; the roof is supported by eight large polyp vial pillars of porphyry under the cupola; in the centre of the floor is the bath, lined with marble, with three steps for descending into it : its depth is about thirty-seven inches and a half. The baptistery an nexed to the splendid church of St. Sophia, at Constantinople, resembled the convocation-room of a cathedral ; and was called illaminatory. In the middle was the bath, and around it were outer rooms for all concerned in the immersion.
The Baptistery of Florence stands opposite to the principal entrance of the cathedral. It is octangular in form, with a diameter of about one hundred feet. In the interior is a gallery, supported by sixteen large granite columns; the vaulting is decorated with mosaics. and on the pavement is a large circle of copper, with numerical figures, and the signs of the zodiac on it. The external facades are built of black and white marble, and the three great bronze doors are cele brated for the beauty of their bas-reliefs, and for the marble and bronze figures above them.
The Baptistery of Pisa is circular ; its diameter is 116 feet ; the walls are eight feet high, and the building is raised on three steps, and surmounted by a dome in the shape of a pear. This dome, which is covered with lead, is intersected by long lines of very prominent fretwork, terminating in another dome, above which is a statue of St. .It)hn. The proportions of the interior are admirable; eight granite columns, placed between fluff piers, decorated with pilasters, are arranged round the basement story ; these support a second order of piers, similarly arranged, on which rests the dome. In the middle of the baptistery, is a large octagonal basin of marble raised on three steps. See FONT.
BAR, a piece of wood, or iron, for fastening any kind of closure, as a door, or shutter. It is used as an additional fastening to a door, attached to the side, and movable to and fm upon the surface, so as to be inserted, or drawn out of the jamb, head, or sill, at pleasure; and is most commonly placed on the vertical edge of the door. Doors and shutters have sometimes bars so long as to be equal to the whole breadth of the aperture, or something more ; and frequently made to turn upon a centre on the side of the door or shutter.
Ruts FOR TIIE SHUTTERS OF WINDOWS, are frequently made with one or more joints, according to the number of shutters in the breadth of the window, and are fastened by means of bolts and fore-locks.