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Tractatus

A Ray of Light for Mithras

Michal Gawlikowski, Arkadiusz Sołtysiak & Krzysztof Jakubiak

A Mithraeum in Hawarte, Syria, appears to have been designed so that sunlight reached the cult image at key moments of the year, especially around the winter solstice.

This article examines the mithraeum discovered beneath the early Christian basilica at Hawarte (Syria), focusing on an architectural opening that appears to have directed sunlight into the sanctuary. Combining archaeological observations with astronomical calculations, the authors argue that the aperture was intentionally designed to illuminate the niche containing the tauroctony around the winter solstice, possibly marking a significant moment in the Mithraic ritual calendar. They also explore the possibility that related lighting effects occurred around the equinoxes, while acknowledging the hypothetical nature of these reconstructions due to the incomplete preservation of the monument. The study represents one of the most detailed attempts to investigate the relationship between mithraic architecture and the controlled use of natural light.

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Publication date
2011

View on academia.edu

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Monuments

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