Courtesy Bethsaida Excavations

The niche in the right tower of Bethsaida’s inner gate contained two steps leading up to a smooth basalt basin. Around the niche the authors discovered five pieces of a shattered basalt stele depicting a bull-headed, horned figure bearing a dagger—perhaps a representation of Bethsaida’s chief deity. The 3-foot-tall stele probably stood behind the basin; worshipers would have made an offering to the god by mounting the steps and pouring a libation into the basin or by burning incense in a small cup (two small incense burners were found on the basin).