The Archaeology of the Ostraca House at Israelite Samaria : Epigraphic Discoveries in Complicated Contexts - ASOR Annual 70

The Caesarea Mithraeum (sanctuary or temple of the god Mithras) is only one of two excavated from eastern half of the Empire. Includes new photographs, plans and section drawings; catalogues the small finds from the vault, and technical details about the recovery of information about frescoes and how the excavations were completed. 76 illus.

Robert J. Bull began the excavation of a vault on the south side of the Inner Harbour of Caesarea Maritima, Israel. The vault was one of a row of warehouses built to store goods unloaded from the harbour built by Herod the Great. Begins with an introduction to the excavation process; the study of the stratigraphy (analysis of the order and position of layers of archaeological remains) considers the later excavations of the adjoining vault, and includes new photographs, plans, and section drawings. The original construction phase, the vault's transformation into a Mithraeum (a sanctuary or temple of the god Mithras), abandonment, and final use as a "charnel house" are discussed in detail. Also, includes detailed studies of the fragmentary wall paintings depicting Mithraic iconography, and of the medallion found inside the vault, in the context of the practices of Mithraism in the ancient world. The reconstruction of the ceiling splay and the interpretation in terms of astrological symbolism important to Mithraism are also detailed. A second volume describing the structure of the vault and the material culture found is planned.