Birth of Mithras

TNMM 248

Rome, Imperial, ca. 1st to 4th century. A marble relief panel depicting the birth of the Roman god Mithras. Shown from the torso up and wearing a Phrygian cap, the cult deity emerges from the ’generative rock’ from which he was born as a fully formed young man. His extended right arm holds up a torch, symbolic of the fire or light hidden deep in the rock that birthed him, and a knife in his left, an allusion to his future slaying of a sacred bull.

To the left, a recumbent god lays on a bed with his upper body propped up by his left arm, which holds a patera (libation bowl), while his right arm stretches outward to rest on his bent knee. The similarity of this pose to that of a Roman river god suggests that this character is Oceanus, the Titan water god and father of the river gods, who is a frequent attendee in depictions of Mithras’ birth. Between them lays an ibex, one of many animals often shown at Mithras’ nativity and an allusion to the shepherds who are also occasionally present. A simple yet elegant border frames the scene on 3 sides with a small head featured below the bottom border, reminiscent of a caryatid.

Size: 8.5’ L x 1.5’ W x 5’ H (21.6 cm x 3.8 cm x 12.7 cm)

Provenance: ex Estate of Eldert Bontekoe, Pegasi Numismatics, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA acquired before 2000

Fragment of a larger piece. Missing part of upper right corner with some minute nicks/chips and abrasions on periphery. Light softening of details with some scratches to relief. Otherwise, excellent.