Practising Mithraic Beliefs Outdoors

The Open Air Mithraeum

With the concept, construction and practical use of an indoor Mithraeum
recognised not least because we know from archaeological study they had a
widespread existence across the Roman Empire and that several can still be seen
an alternative could be an outdoor type. These could be in any country that
formed part of the Roman Empire or elsewhere. As this website focuses on what
is now called Scotland the alternative will be looked for there.
The statues and symbols to be found in indoors Mithraea are mentioned
elsewhere in this site - their iconography and, therefore, their meanings need to
be translated into the structure of a hypothetical Open-Air, or outdoor,
Mithraeum.
The first key difference between the typical Mithraeum used in the cult of the
Mysteries of Mithras and the proposed Open-Air Mithraeum is that the
former is constructed mainly underground or makes use of a natural cave and
the latter needs neither. Specifically a building is not required.
The second key difference is that the indoor Mithraeum has iconography on
its internal surfaces (floor, walls, ceiling) the Open-Air version cannot; but it
does need a substitute for what usually is seen in an indoor Mithraeum albeit
with potentially different images.
The third key difference is that the access to the indoor Mithraeum is secured by
a door or other barrier whilst an Open-Air one, from its name, is completely
visible. Gaining an understanding of what is contained in, on or around the
Open-Air Mithraeum needs to be hidden somehow. Despite having decided to
concentrate on seeing if there is such a thing as an Open-Air Mithraeum in
Pictland, the prospect of indoor ones in Pictland has not been dismissed. On the
contrary looking at what arguably is an indoor Mithraeum in Burghead, Moray
(the so-called Roman well) plus caves like Covesea give contrast to the outdoor
variety.
The design, to include what can be seen in a typical indoor Mithraeum, can
make use of physical surfaces outdoors on which images can be affixed (the
terrestrial component) and, as it is outside, the view of everything as far as the
eye can see. It is suggested that the latter may to an extent replace the sky
elements of an indoor Mithraeum (for example the components of the Zodiac).

Description of the Mysteries by word of mouth alone is unlikely. Nothing can

be deduced from folklore and word of mouth alone would not follow the
tradition of Mithraism which we know was, in part, communicated through the
use of statues, pictures and iconography. Therefore some form of pictorial
recording is expected.
To retain obscurity there is, arguably, a need to further encode or depict
differently from the equivalent indoor image or symbol (which usually is
rendered physically inaccessible except to those who are intended to see it).
Most indoor symbols are recognisable but their context and application is not
but they are not seen by all. The outdoor version can be seen by all hence the
suggestion for some more involved encryption. Physical privacy afforded by the
indoor Mithraeum needs to be replaced by obscuring the images or symbols in
the terrestrial part of the outdoor version.
Construction Materials
Indoor symbols have the benefit of enclosure to protect them from the weather.
Not so for Open-Air ones. If the intent was to have durable symbols then the
material they were placed on or made from would need to be weather-resistant.
This then would rule out most paints.
In selecting suitable surfaces, external attachment to buildings would not have
seemed to be a first choice when a prospective alternative may be to use the
inside of the building which, presumably, has been eliminated as space might be
at a premium, it has another specific or restricted use or other needs may have
taken precedence. Attachment to buildings also reduces independence there is
a reliance on the longevity of the structure and there is a restriction in terms of
privacy.
Faced with restrictions on material and location some form of carving springs to
mind now and would have done so 1500 years ago. In the context of Pictland
(which we currently are considering) stone is bountiful, very bountiful. Some is
freestanding in different shapes such as boulders and naturally occurring
monoliths. Perhaps there was a re-use possibility for existing erected monoliths
put in place for other purposes otherwise stone could be quarried (from
locations of varying degrees of difficulty). Perhaps the location for the carved
stone could determine what material should be used (e.g. immediately
available), or vice-versa - the basic material might need to be moved. The carver
and whoever is hiring the carver (although the carver could be the user) may
need to compromise between desired location and availability but over-riding
factors may come into play; later portability is unlikely to be one of them! Stone
also is preferable to wood if longevity is an objective so carving on wood is not
seen as a preferred option.

Elsewhere in this site mention is made of the stone material used for statues
associated with the London Mithraeum some sourced as far away as Carrara
in Italy; maybe long distance importation cannot be eliminated for the source of
Open-Air Mithraeum material.
Having determined that stone would be a desirable material for carving
symbols, two essential and very practical ingredients are needed the carver
and the symbols. Keeping with the Pictland context, stone masons or carvers
with the ability either to learn how to carve or, preferably, already with that
ability would be needed. Even to achieve the first possibility to learn how to
carve someone with the necessary skills would need to be the instructor. So
where could this person or these persons have come from?

Components and Symbols

There are two components to the Open-Air Mithraeum terrestrial and as far
as the eye can see. The latter can range from flora, fauna, fields, rivers, the sea,
mountains, the sky and what can be seen in the sky planets, constellations,
Zodiac etc. The indoor Mithraeums representation of planets and constellations
typically painted on ceilings or walls is not required they can be seen in the
outdoor version but astronomical and astrological knowledge would be needed
to identify them.
Regarding the symbols, representation of Enticement, Tauroctony and Initiation
Grades plus inclusion of associated local customs / cults / religions or forms of
adaptation, absorption or recognition (Mithraism with or to other belief sets
and/or vice versa) would be a start point in designing the terrestrial part of an
Open-Air Mithraeum. The adaptation category (taking one symbol and
modifying it to become another) would be the least straightforward to decode
requiring a knowledge of both Mithraism and the local item. However, indoor
Mithraea did contain more than the Mithraic grouping (Mithras, Tauroctony, his
companions) but also other Gods that were revered at the time of the Roman
Empire plus, in some locations, Celtic deities and what started as very specific
local cults such as that of the Dacian or Danubian Riders (followed in what is
now the area of Romania) but which spread within the Roman Empire.

Constituent symbols could, therefore, include: Enticement attracting a target audience, such as the military, to
prospects of life after death, a hereafter, gaining secret knowledge etc.
Tauroctony Mithras himself (or a representation of what Mithras stands
for); animals dog, snake, scorpion (or a representation of them in sky
terms or otherwise); the zodiac & constellations (seen in the sky) but
maybe needing a form of pointer and most certainly an explanation;
Mithrass companions (or what they represent); water container; bull;
knife; winds; elements (earth, wind, fire, air) etc.
Grades planets (visible in the sky) but again maybe needing a form of
pointer; grade names (raven, male bride, soldier, lion, Persian, courier of
the sun, father) and their related symbols.
Local customs / cults / religions Celtic Gods; symbols of local customs;
non-Mithraic symbols etc.
Skywards
On a clear day the sun is the most visible planet (it was considered to be a
planet in time frame of Roman Mithraism) followed by the moon (also
considered to be a planet) then, on occasion, other planets (such as Venus) and
brighter stars. During a clear night the planets, the zodiac and a much wider set
of stars is visible in fact, broadly a hemisphere of the universe. This sky
component replaces much of the iconography of the indoor Mithraeum quite
simply as it is not needed. In the night sky the relevant constellations can be
seen dependent on the time of year. Any star (indeed galaxy) forms, otherwise
represented in the indoor Mithraeum including the Milky Way will be seen
by the observer on Earth.
Therefore, in designing the terrestrial part of the Open-Air Mithraeum there is
no need to include the planets and stars as such maybe just their relationship
within the mystery and/or as locational pointers. An icon may not be needed
when the real thing is visible. However, there may be aspects of the view
skywards, otherwise depicted but obscured in the Mithraeum, which are visible
to anyone (Mithraist or not) that in the context of Mithraism need to be further
obscured.
The carved symbols might then need to obscure something that may be deduced
directly from looking at the sky or, conversely, stone based symbols could rely
on the sky view to complete the symbol. Nothing should be obvious to the
uninitiated. Furthermore, a stone based symbol could be used as an indicator to
use part of the sky view to decode the symbol or, simply, to be a pointer.

Orientation and Location

If the intent is to mimic the indoor Mithraeum then replication of layout,
orientation and location is necessary. Some of the indoor Mithraea seem to have
a specific East/West orientation; good examples are those in Ostia. The
Tauroctony is at the East end; the benches are set on the North side facing South
and the South side facing North; the entrance is at the West end so anyone
entering faces towards the Tauroctony. All this gives orientation along the
Earths North-South axis and facilitates observing where the sun and moon rise
and set plus gives a reference point for knowing the equinox and solstice
locations.
Indoor Mithraea are located close to running water partly, probably, for
practical purposes but maybe to ensure all elements are present and visible
earth, air, fire and water. Fire can be created by lighting candles for example.
Outdoor versions could readily be erected near running water with fire being
represented by a view of the Sun or by burning objects.
In some places several Mithraea are built in close proximity to one another
maybe providing different but complementary functions. Again this could be
achieved, if wished, with the Open-Air Mithraeum.