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Norman J. Penny Pictish Symbol Stones Deciphered - their role in the Mysteries of Mithras Norman J. Penny June 2010 Photograph – across the Moray Firth from Burghead – the author Deciphering the secrets in the Pictish Symbol Stones has challenged many people over many years. As reported in the Press & Journal on 6 April 2010, I would like to propose a new solution by bringing together two lines of study and investigation – Pictish Symbol Stones and the Mysteries of Mithras. Norman J Penny FCMI FIET FRSA Birchington, Kent 9 June 2010 Contents 1 Pictish Symbol Stones - Why So Intriguing? 2 Pict, Pictland, Pictish – Simple Definitions 3 Mitra, Mithra, Mithras – “Who’s Who”? 4 Mithraeum, Mithraea – What are They? 5 Mithraic Astronomy & Astrology - Introduction 6 Mithraic Statues & Symbols 7 Mithraeum Outdoors – the “Open-Air” Mithraeum 8 Pictish Mithraea - Builders & Worshippers 9 Pictish Stones Deciphered – the Mithraic Connection 10 Pictish Stones – other Roman Influences 11 Pictish Mithraism - Proposition Acknowledgements & Bibliography Copyright; About the Author; Contact 2 1 Pictish Symbol Stones - Why so intriguing? The so-called Pictish Symbol Stones have been in existence for about 1,500 years. What makes them so intriguing? They are called “Pictish” but who erected them? “Picts” is the name supposedly given to the supposedly indigenous population of the, generally, North East part of Scotland by the Roman invaders around the late 3rd Century CE. So why is there a gap between this naming of the Picts and the erection of the Stones? Did the existing population erect the Stones – or was it by incomers? Who had the skills to carve the Stones; and why onto a material that was destined to endure for so long? What do the symbols mean – assuming they do have a specific purpose and give a particular message? Are they for worship, markers of some description, used to educate – or maybe just decorative? Are the Stones in significant locations? Why did the symbols on the seemingly older Stones carry forward to the newer ones with Christian crosses? Despite all the research and proposing by academics and others, why has it taken so long to determine what they were really meant for – and are we still unsure? Of the people who erected them – where did they go, are their ancestors still around? These, and many more, are the reasons why they are intriguing. In some ways it would be a shame to have a definitive explanation! 3 2 Pict, Pictland, Pictish – Some Definitions It is useful to draw a brief distinction between these words. Several relevant texts are mentioned in the Acknowledgements. “Pict” is a label given apparently by Roman invaders in the 3rd century CE to the people who lived, broadly, in the North East of Scotland (historically recorded as 297 AD). It is uncertain whether these “locals” gave themselves a specific name, whether they were a single “people” or were a conglomerate of communities. Their origin is uncertain. What is certain is that no-one would have been living in the north of Scotland until about 11,500 years ago – once the ice had substantially cleared. The effects of glaciation rendered the non-coastal areas inhospitable to settlers but the coastal areas have the attributes for sustenance – land to cultivate, material for fire for warmth, rivers and seas to fish, animals to hunt for food and clothing, dwelling opportunities (caves, woodland and trees for construction). They are accessible across water, along coastal stretches and, in early (just post-glaciation) settlement times, via land bridges to other parts of what we now call mainland Europe. So descriptors such as indigenous (Latin indigen – original inhabitant) are limited – they may have been original inhabitants of the geographic area but, unlike, a non-glaciated area, their start point is a lot later. They most definitely came from somewhere else. This “somewhere else” has relevance in this investigation. Where are they now? A subject for further investigation. “Pictland” is the term generally used in referring to where the Picts lived. Mainly the North East of Scotland but varying in size over time to other parts of Scotland – depending on acquired boundary changes. “Pictish” can be the adjectival or possessive version of “Pict”. It can mean Pictish person, Pictish place, Pictish time period, Pictish country, Pictish xxx. Hence the title of this web site - “Pictish Mithraism” – which embraces several meanings (all valid and intended):- the form of mystery cult brought into a geographic area of Scotland and practiced by people some of whom may be “indigenous” others incomers. “Pictish Symbol Stones” also known as “Pictish Standing Stones” are Stones with coded markings that have been categorised by J Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson in The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland (1903) as:- Class 1 – incised symbols on upright undressed stones with no Christian cross. Class 2 – relief carved symbols on upright dressed stones with a large Christian cross. Class 3 – stones with no Pictish symbols originating in the same period as Class 2. 4 3 Mitra / Mithra / Mithras – “Who’s Who”? A short “Who’s Who” is offered to understand chronology and location of Mitra, Mithra and Mithras. Several relevant texts are mentioned in the Acknowledgements. If the words “Mithraic” and “Mithraism” are used to cover individually and collectively Mitra, Mithra and Mithras it can be stated that there is more than one Mithraic period, that Mithraism is not continuous and that the Mithraic periods need not be continuous. The geographical and chronological origins are Mithra (Persian within the Zoroastrian beliefs), Mitra (Indian within the pantheon of Vedic Hinduism) and Mithras (the Graeco-Roman version followed about the time of the Roman presence in what is now called Britain). The latter is familiarly referred to as Roman Mithraism. Currently there is a revival which uses the term Mithras. Information from a number of sources suggests an approximate timeline:- Mithra was deemed the son of Ahura-Mazda, the divine God of the heavens. Independent worship of Mithra declined with Zoroastrianism. The original Persian Mithra worship branched out into India where Mithra was known as Mitra. Mithras was based on Mithra but was elevated from a son of God to God himself. David Ulansey argues that the God Mithras originated as the personification of the force responsible for the phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes. Also he has been depicted as Kronos (personification of infinite time) or as the light conquering the darkness. In Tauroctony statues he is shown as young, fresh-faced, with no specific racial or birth place identity. The Mystery of Mithras became a cult following during the time of the expansion of the Roman Empire. It is based on the previous Persian version and was practiced across the Empire, being 5 particularly popular within the army. Roman Mithraism started to decline with Christianity becoming the “state” religion in the 4th century CE. Central to Roman Mithraism is the God called Mithras (Sol Invictus – the Invincible Sun) who had the power to move the universe. This power was ascribed to him from the discovery by Hipparchus (a Greek astronomer living in the 2nd century BCE) of the precession of the equinoxes whereby the earth has a slight wobble on its axis. The God who could effect this was a powerful God indeed! Much of the Mithraic Mysteries are related to the astronomy and astrology of the time (with the earth as the centre of the universe) utilising the planets, Zodiac and constellations as prime constituents. Coupled with a hierarchy of initiation with associated symbolism, a complex interaction between “hold” over initiates and progressively gaining more understanding of what the Mysteries held must have enticed and retained membership. Whilst the originating centre of Roman Mithraism may well have been Rome the term “Roman” in the context of this writing should not be thought of as just Rome the place but more the period of the Empire. The “Roman” army, for example, did not all hail from Rome or even Italy. 4 Mithraeum (singular) & Mithraea (plural) –What are They? The Mithraeum was the meeting place for pursuing the Mysteries of Mithras. Remains of Mithraea can be seen across many parts of the early first millennium CE Roman Empire – several websites are referenced in the Acknowledgments section. The nearest Mithraea to Pictland were by Hadrian’s Wall. The Mithraeum (or temple) would have been suitably laid out and decorated with statues and paintings to enable the followers to gather, to worship, to be talked through (and probably walked through) the iconography to understand the Mysteries of Mithras and to progress through the Grades. From remains particularly in Italy, Germany and England there is evidence of structure and contents and a regard for compass orientation which has huge significance when considering the relationship of the Mysteries with astrological and astronomical aspects. These are temples – places of spiritual devotion and for instruction. The Mithraeum was created and constructed as a “virtual universe”. The temples generally are underground or partially underground, sometimes beneath other buildings. Some have also been in caves. For the built temples the structure can be likened to a cave (of significance as Mithras was said to have been borne from rock in a cave) but also a model of the macrocosm (the universe as a whole). Having a semi-circular vertical profile, the structure then also becomes cave-like. On either side of the long centre line of the Mithraeum (they were rectangular) there are benches and at one end the iconography of the Tauroctony – the portrayal of the bull slaying by Mithras (see Chapter 6). Being enclosed they were private but something must have enticed people to want to understand the Mysteries (more on this in Chapter 6); nothing external “advertising” the temple is apparent from excavations so far.
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