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Monumentum

Cult vessel with snake representations of St. Egyden

Upon first examination, archaeologists interpreted the inscription on the cult vessel from Gradishje as referencing Mithras, though it has since been re-evaluated.
Gradišče cult vessel with snake representations

Gradišče cult vessel with snake representations
Landesmuseum Kärnten/P. Gleirscher 

 
The New Mithraeum
21 Aug 2021
Updated on Sep 2024

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Besides a vast amount of animal bones numerous small finds were found in the ash layer. These date the complex ca. from the 2nd to the 3rd century and finally to the early 5th century AD. Fragmentes of oil lamps and drinking cup sherds are frequently present besides ffragments of a fictile bull figurine. Another ’typical’ votive offering is a fragment of a palm leaf mad of silver. Several fragments of vessels appeared with figural snake decorations. One of these shows an inscription.

AE 2013, 1173Mithrae vel S(oli) d(eo) d(onum) fec(erunt) / [---]bonius / [---] Maximus / [---]c(?)ilius

Related monuments

Mithraeum of St. Egyden

The 'Mithraic cave' in the Gradische/Gradišče massif near St. Egidio contained vessels decorated with snakes and the remains of chicken bones and other animals that were consumed during Mithraic ceremonies.