GALLO-ROMAN SCULPTURE - DECORATION WITH GOD MITHRA

Reproduction of a bas-relief of the God Mithra, the original is an altar in Heddernheim (Germany). We can find the the main attributes of his cult and all his feats.

The cult of Mithra is celebrated in temples called mithrea. This place were firstly natural caves, and after, artificial buildings, dark and with no windows.

This mithreae had been discovered in most of roman provinces. One of the most beautiful representation of this cult can be found in France, on the small city of Bourg-St-Andeol, in Ardèche. Placed between two springs of water, the romans were coming to worship this God, on a secret way.

Mithra was born with a torch and a sword, to fight the evil presented on the form of a drought that destroys life. He has to take care of the world's order, fighting against evil spirits, saving it from dryness, thirst, death of the herds ; He gives water by making miraculously gush a spring of water next to a rock wall. Then he is runnig after the bull wich sacrifice will give back vital strength to the world. He captures and struggles the beast, cuts his throat as the Sun gave him the order, by the intermediary of a messenger crow. We can find a lot of roman representations of this scene : Mithra is wearing a persian hat and phrygian trousers. He his figured during the action. Around the sacrificed bull we can notice other animals, a dog, a snake, a scorpion, that are beating the genitals of the bull. The blood and the sperm of the animal are vital energies that allows the regenaration of the world.

Craft product made in France.

Height : 24 cm ; Width : 23 cm ; Weight : 1,240 kg ; Thickness : 2 cm