An altar stone is a piece of natural stone containing relics in a cavity and intended to serve as the essential part of an altar for the celebration of Mass in the Catholic Church. Consecration by a bishop of the same rite was required. [1] In the Byzantine Rite, the antimension, blessed and signed by the bishop, serves a similar function.

Solomon's bronze Altar was an innovation of civilization and gave way later, through the revival of an earlier form, to the stone Altar. The Altar of acacia wood overlaid with bronze is mentioned only by the Priestly writer and those dependent upon him.

Illustration of a Stone Altar. In the ancient world altars were raised platforms usually made of dirt, stones, carved rocks, or elaborate articles of furniture. In the Bible the people of Israel received forgiveness of sins by offering a sacrifice on the day of atonement.

2024年11月7日 · Ancient altars can be categorized based on materials, mobility, and regional characteristics. A. Stone vs. wooden altars: Stone altars are often more durable and were commonly used in permanent structures, while wooden altars were more portable, allowing for flexibility in worship practices.

2023年10月3日 · A new analysis of the Altar Stone at Stonehenge suggests it may have come from as far north as Scotland, allowing for "creative thinking" about its archaeological significance.

2024年8月14日 · Stonehenge had a hard Scottish heart, a new study suggests. The ancient site’s central stone, a large slab known as the Altar Stone, consists of rock transported at least 750 kilometers...

The altars used in ancient Israel consisted of a rectangular stone with a basin hollowed out on its top. The four corners of the basin terminated in projections; these “horns” came to be regarded as the altar’s holiest part, so that anyone clinging to them was immune from molestation.

2024年4月11日 · During building renovations in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, archaeologists came across a stunning discovery, a large section from the church’s original ancient altar. The excavators believe that the stone slab, which measures about 8 by 5 feet, once adorned the 12th-century high altar from one of Christianity’s holiest sites.

2024年8月14日 · Recent research led by Curtin University has unveiled a groundbreaking revelation about the origins of Stonehenge's massive six-ton Altar Stone, one of the monument’s most iconic features.

In ancient Israel, the altar was a rectangular stone with a hollowed-out basin on top. The ancient Greeks placed altars (see baetylus) in homes, marketplaces, public buildings, and sacred groves. Roman altars were similarly ubiquitous and were often decorated with relief sculptures.