1 / 7

Exploring Carrawburgh Mithraeum: A Mysterious Ancient Cult Temple

Discover the secrets of a Mithraeum, a place of worship for Mithraism followers. Learn about the stages of initiation, rituals, and the mysterious cult of Mithras. Explore the Carrawburgh Mithraeum built around 200 AD with intricate sculptures and reliefs. Uncover its history and significance in ancient Britain.

colin
Download Presentation

Exploring Carrawburgh Mithraeum: A Mysterious Ancient Cult Temple

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Carrawburgh mithraeum

  2. What is a mithraeum? • It is a place of worship for the followers of Mithraism • Was seen as a Religion • This was a mysterious cult religion which believed in “7 stages of initiation” and rituals • We know very little about it as it was secret to anyone who wasn’t initiated • Mithras was an old Persian God • Mithraeum’s were found as caves or grottos • They were very dark inside and had few lights

  3. 7 Stages of initiation • 1) Corax/Corux (Raven/Crow) • 2) Nymphus (Bridesman) • 3) Miles (Soldier) • 4)Leo (Lion) • 5) Perses (Persian) • 6) Heliodromus (sun-runner) • 7) Pater (Father) • Each Grade was commended to a specific God • To move up a gruelling task must be completed – e.g. exposure to heat or cold.

  4. Carrawburgh Mithraeum

  5. Carrawburgh Mithraeum • Built around 200AD • Held around 30-40 people when full • Was discovered by chance when after a dry period the ground sank and some stones became visible • We base what we know about it from sculptures and reliefs found, the originals of these are mainly held in a museum in Newcastle, but replicas were made.

  6. Some of the stone carvings are of Mithras, with one showing him as a “sun charioteer”, an oil lamp was placed behind him so the rays would shine in the dark. • Some was destroyed in the early fourth century, supposedly by Christians • One of the most impressive of its kind found in Britain

More Related