Altar from Dvin

A basalt altar from Dvin, dated to the 2nd century AD, has been interpreted as dedicated to Mithra on the basis of the relief symbols carved on its four sides. The monument bears a solar symbol on its southern face, a raven on the northern face, a bull on the western face and Cancer on the eastern face.The altar has been discussed in connection with the cult of Mithra in ancient Armenia. Hayk Hakobyan includes it among the evidence considered in his study of the origins and architectural background of Mithraic sanctuaries. The identification as Mithraic depends on the interpretation of its…