Archaeology
Sanctuary dedicated to Mithras found at the Villa del Mitra
Archaeologists excavating at the Villa del Mitra, located in the city of Cabra, Spain, have found a sanctuary dedicated to Mithras.
During the 1st century AD, a cult dedicated to Mithras emerged that spread to all corners of the Roman Empire. Worship was a Romanised form of the Indo-Iranian god Mithra, although the level of continuity between Persian and Greco-Roman practice is debated.
The Villa del Mitra is a Roman villa dating from the 1st century AD, in what was the Roman city of Licabrum. The villa is named after the Mitra de Cabra sculpture discovered in situ, an ornate 2nd century AD statue which depicts Mithras sacrificing a bull, a symbol of death and resurrection.
The first official excavation of the villa was carried out in 1972-73, discovering a courtyard containing a pond, and several adjacent rooms with mosaic flooring. Ongoing excavations in 1981 found the remains of a hypocaust, a system of underfloor heating, and several coins depicting Philip the Arab, Diocletian, and Valentinian II.
The central pond in the Villa del Mitra – Image Credit : James Narmer – CC BY SA 4.0
Recent excavations conducted by archaeologists from the University of Málaga, the Carlos III University of Madrid, and the University of Córdoba, have discovered the remains of a sanctuary dedicated to Mithras that dates from the 2nd century AD, with a second construction phase from the end of the 3rd century AD.
The sanctuary is a rectangular room located to the southwest of the domus, measuring 7.2 by 2.5 metres. It has a narrow entrance, that descends several steps leading into the sanctuary that has two flanking stone benches.
The team suggest that these benches were used by worshipers who would sit to perform rituals and conduct feasts in honour of Mithras. The walls have fragments of Roman bricks, one of which has two holes or niches which would likely have held a tauroctony sculpture.
A dark burnt layer covers the floor, which upon a closer examination has revealed fragmented remains of pigs, birds and rabbits, suggesting evidence of cooking during the ritual banquets.
Header Image Credit : el Dia De Cordoba
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
A recent study, published in the journal ResearchGate, proposes that the Pyramid of Djoser could have been constructed using hydraulic lift.
The Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid, is a proto-pyramid built as the final resting place of Djoser, the first or second pharaoh of Egypt’s 3rd Dynasty (2670–2650 BC) during the Old Kingdom period.
The pyramid rises from the Saqqara plateau in six steps to a height of around 60 to 62 metres, serving as the centre of a vast mortuary complex.
Due to the absence of authentic sources from the pyramid architects’ working sphere, there is currently no confirmed comprehensive model for the method used in the pyramid construction.
The prevailing theory suggests that the heavy stone blocks were transported on apparatuses such as rollers, and raised to height using a series of ramps.
In the study, a survey of watersheds near to the pyramid indicate that the Gisr el-Mudir (enclosure) has features of a check dam for trapping sediment and water. Furthermore, the topography beyond the “dam” shows a possible ephemeral lake west of the Djoser complex, and water flow inside the moat surrounding it.
The study authors explain: “In the southern section of the moat, we show that the monumental linear rock-cut structure consisting of successive, deep compartments, combines the technical requirements of a water treatment facility: a settling basin, a retention basin, and a purification system.”
Based on this finding, the study proposes that the Gisr el-Mudir and moat’s inner south section worked as a unified hydraulic system for regulating flow and improving water quality. In addition, the pyramid’s internal architecture is consistent with a hydraulic elevation mechanism never reported before.
“The ancient architects likely raised the stones from the pyramid centre in a volcano fashion using the sediment-free water from the Dry Moat’s south section. Ancient Egyptians are famous for their pioneering and mastery of hydraulics through canals for irrigation purposes and barges to transport huge stones. This work opens a new line of research: the use of hydraulic force to erect the massive structures built by Pharaohs,” said the study authors.
Please note: This study was submitted to PLOS ONE on December 7, 2023. After two rounds of review by peers, the paper was formally accepted by PLOS ONE on June 27, 2024. Since July 23, 2024, it has been the subject of new consultations and review by the PLOS ONE Editorial Board.
Header Image Credit : Shutterstock
Sources : ResearchGate | Piton, Guillaume. (2024). On the possible use of hydraulic force to assist with building the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. PLOS ONE.
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
Constructed between 1630 and 1633 in a Renaissance-Baroque style, the Great Synagogue of Vilnius served as the religious centre of a complex of synagogues, mikvahs, and community institutions devoted to Torah study in Vilnius, Lithuania.
According to a press statement by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA): “The Great Synagogue of Vilna was the beating heart of the Lithuanian Jewry, which included 12 synagogues and study houses, the community council building, the home of Rabbi Eliyahu – the Vilna Gaon, Kosher meat stalls, the famous ‘Strashun’ library, a bathhouse and more.”
During World War II, the synagogue was looted, burned, and partially destroyed by the Nazis in the holocaust. Soviet authorities completely demolished the remaining structure to build a school, intending to prevent any future restoration of Jewish worship.
Only three original pieces of the synagogue survived the destruction: a door of the Holy Ark, a reader’s desk, and a bas-relief with the Ten Commandments, which are now on display at the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum.
Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority
In a recent study conducted by the IAA, the Association of Lithuanian Archaeology, the Good Will Foundation, and the Jewish Community of Lithuania, archaeologists have rediscovered traces of the synagogue’s decorated walls and remnants of flooring with red, black, and white floral patterns that paved the main hall.
Excavations also uncovered huge water reservoirs to feed halachically pure water to the mikva’ot, and one of the giant pillars that surrounded the Bimah (prayer platform).
Dr. Jon Seligman from the IAA and Justinas Rakas from the Lithuanian Archaeological Society, said: “The magnificent remains we are rediscovering bring back moments in the life of a lost vibrant community.”
Header Image Credit : Israel Antiquities Authority
Sources : IAA
This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily
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