CIMRM 860 - Mithras and the egg, from Housesteads. Hadrian's Wall, Britain.
From here.
This is a relief from Vercovium / Borcovecium (Housesteads) on Hadrian's Wall shows a deity holding a dagger and a flame and emerging from the cosmic egg, which is represented both as such and by the shape of the zodiacal ring.1 The item was found in the Mithraic cave at Housesteads, between two altars inscribed to Mithras, and in front of the main cult relief.2
CIMRM 861, 2 altars, were found on either side of this monument.
CIMRM entry 860. Stone relief (H. 1.33 Br. 0.82), found "between two altars (Nos 863-4) about 0.66 before the back wall" (Hodgson).
J. Hodgson in Archaeologia Aeliana, 294 No. 53; Hodgson, History of Northumberland, 1827, 190, Pl. LIV, 16; Bruce, Lap. Sept., 96 No. 188 and fig., Rom. Wall, 398f and fig.;MMM II No. 273d and fig. 315; Hinks in Bruton, The Roman Fort at Manchester, 1909, Pl. 174; Adams, Mithraism, 1915, fig. 35; Eisler, Weltenmantel, II, 410ff fig. 43; Saxl, fig. 159; D. Levi in Hesperia, XIII, 1944,293 fig. 18. See fig. 226.
The lower part has not been worked and is rough. Above it in an open oval circle, the torso of a young naked Mithras with long curly hair, emerging from an egg, the two halfs of which are visible above the head and below the hips. The raised arms have got lost, but his hands, in which a dagger (r) and a torch (l) have been preserved on the rim of the circle. This part is framed by a rim on which the signs of the Zodiac: Aquarius-Pisces-Aries-Taurus-Gemini(lost)-Cancer and Leo-Virgo-Libra(lost)-Scorpio-Sagittarius-Capricornus.
| 1 | Clauss, M. The Roman cult of Mithras, p. 70, photo p.71. CIMRM 860 is now at the Museum of Antiquities, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU. |
| 2 | John Bell, "A catalogue of the Roman altars and inscribed and sculptured stones in the collection of the society of antiquaries, Newcastle-upon-Tyne", in The Gentleman's Magazine, vol. 166 (1839), p.183 f., p.184: "52. - A sculptured bust of Mithras between the two hemispheres, surrounded by the twelve signs of the Zodiac; it was also found in the Mithraic Cave at Housesteads, between nos. 51. and 53. -- Presented by the same". (i.e. by George Gibson, esq. Other entries indicate that all the material was found in 1822) |
| 3 | This appears to be vol. 1, 1822, Google Books. |
| 4 | Online Google Books. |
| 5 | Google Books. |
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