Mithraeum of Fertőrákos

TNMM 36 ↔ CIMRM 1636

A Mithraeum was discovered in 1866 near Fertőrákos at the S-W end of Lake Fertő. The place is now called "Mythras barlang", and is situated at a distance of 20 mtrs. from the Sopron (Scarbantia)–Carnuntum road. The finds are in Sopron.

The sanctuary (L. 5.20) has on its west side and probably on its north side a wall-construction, but on the other sides it consists of natural rock. The north side where the entrance was is wider (Br. 5.50) than the south side (Br. 3.65) where the cult statue was erected. Through an entrance (Br. 2.50) one probably descended by means of some steps into the pronaos (Br. 5.30).

The cultroom proper is on a still lower (0.80) level and is divided into a central aisle (L. 4.66 Br. 2.33) and two podia. These benches are, as the sanctuary itself, wider near the entrance (Br. 1.58) than near the backwall (H. 0.66 Br. 0.87–0.63).

In the neighbourhood runs a small brook issuing into Lake Fertő (Neusiedl) which is now dry.

The following three altars (H. 0.80 and 0.20 Br. 0.50 and 0.64) are made in limestone from Kroisbach and St. Margarethen and stood on bases.

Constructed by soldiers from the Carnuntum legion at the beginning of the 3rd century AD. Trapeziodal in shape, the southern and eastern sides of the shrine were hollowed out of the rock, with the northern and western sides being built in stone. Four steps lead down into the central aisle of the cella, as the pronaos and couch podiums were all on the same ground level. The taurochtony was carved into the rock face. The original excavators attempted to restore the stone vault of the shrine (the first attempt at reconstruction at any archaeological site in Hungary), though this was later demolished and the present cover building erected in the 1990s. Excavations: 1866. 1990-1991. original sculptures at Fabricius House Museum, Sopron.

The remains of the Mithras Cave were discovered independently by two young men in July 1866, almost at the same time, Ferenc Sztornó and György Malleschitz, a stone carver from Csíkszereda. The excavation of the Mithraeum was carried out by Ferenc Stornó. He found a cult image with inscriptions, three altar stones, two lion statues, 27 cremation graves with ashes and coins, and a cremation tomb with skeletal remains. He then had a vault of carved limestone built over the shrine to protect it.

Gabriella Gabrieli Gabriella, an archaeologist from Sopron, carried out new excavations of the Mithras Cave in 1991. György Kovács, sculptor-artist, restored the cultic image. The protective building is the work of Ágnes H. Vladár.