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THBRoman Marble Relief Panel with Birth of Mithras
Lot 22
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $4,500
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Dec 17, 2020
Set Reminder
2020-12-17 10:00:00
2020-12-17 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : VARIETY SALE | Antiquities & Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/variety-sale-antiquities-ethnographic-art-6207
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Fine Art, more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Fine Art, more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (384)
- Lot Description
Rome, Imperial, ca. 1st to 4th century. A stunning hand-carved marble relief panel depicting the birth of the Roman god Mithras. Shown from the torso up and wearing a Phrygian cap, the cult deity emerges from the "generative rock" from which he was born as a fully formed young man. His extended right arm holds up a torch, symbolic of the fire or light hidden deep in the rock that birthed him, and a knife in his left, an allusion to his future slaying of a sacred bull. To the left, a recumbent god lays on a bed with his upper body propped up by his left arm, which holds a patera (libation bowl), while his right arm stretches outward to rest on his bent knee. The similarity of this pose to that of a Roman river god suggests that this character is Oceanus, the Titan water god and father of the river gods, who is a frequent attendee in depictions of Mithras' birth. Between them lays an ibex, one of many animals often shown at Mithras' nativity and an allusion to the shepherds who are also occasionally present. A simple yet elegant border frames the scene on 3 sides with a small head featured below the bottom border, reminiscent of a caryatid. A remarkable relief from the Roman mystery cult of Mithraism. Size: 8.5" L x 1.5" W x 5" H (21.6 cm x 3.8 cm x 12.7 cm)
Mithraism (also known as the Mithraic mysteries) was a Roman cult religion that focused on the god Mithras. Members of Mithraism would meet underground in temples called mithraea (singular mithraeum); many of which survive today and contain impressive reliefs, sculptures, and frescoes that act as our only source of information about the curious cult. Popular among the Roman army from the 1st to 4th centuries, Mithraic symbolism, like this example, can be found throughout the most expansive periods of the Empire from Roman Britain (a temple to Mithras can still be seen in the modern City of London) to its eastern coasts in the ancient-places-turned-colonies of Thracia and Dacia to Roman Syria, and even Roman Africa and Numidia. These mythraea often include four main illustrations: Mithras' birth from a rock, his slaying of a sacred bull, the celebratory banquet of the bull's slaying, and a lion-headed figure. As Christianity began to gain popularity and influence, Mithraism became a competing religion and more importance was placed on Mithras' miraculous birth. The iconography around the birth changed to include shepherds and farm animals, like the ram seen here, making it seem as though Mithras was born in a barn and thus likening him to Christ.
Provenance: ex Estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA acquired before 2000
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
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#160085Fragment of a larger piece. Missing part of upper right corner with some minute nicks/chips and abrasions on periphery. Light softening of details with some scratches to relief. Otherwise, excellent.Condition
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