Astral path to soul salvation in late antiquity? The orientation of two late Roman imperial mausolea from Eastern Serbia
Astral path to soul salvation in late antiquity? The orientation of two late Roman imperial mausolea from Eastern Serbia
The following study advocates an archaeoastronomical approach to interpreting the orientation of two Late Antique mausolea and associates them with the Mithraic circle of belief. The mausolea in question are the so-called Romula's mausoleum at Gamzigrad and the mausoleum at Šarkamen, both believed to have contained burials of women belonging to the imperial family. On the basis of measurement, comparison, and analysis of the orientation of these two structures, it is argued that they were intentionally orientated toward the same celestial event and that this orientation has a cultic explanation.
81-97
Mladenovic, Dragana
7b10b3ca-e3f2-488c-81d8-6bc406449002
January 2009
Mladenovic, Dragana
7b10b3ca-e3f2-488c-81d8-6bc406449002
Mladenovic, Dragana
(2009)
Astral path to soul salvation in late antiquity? The orientation of two late Roman imperial mausolea from Eastern Serbia.
American Journal of Archaeology, 113 (1), .
(doi:10.3764/aja.113.1.81).
Abstract
The following study advocates an archaeoastronomical approach to interpreting the orientation of two Late Antique mausolea and associates them with the Mithraic circle of belief. The mausolea in question are the so-called Romula's mausoleum at Gamzigrad and the mausoleum at Šarkamen, both believed to have contained burials of women belonging to the imperial family. On the basis of measurement, comparison, and analysis of the orientation of these two structures, it is argued that they were intentionally orientated toward the same celestial event and that this orientation has a cultic explanation.
Text
AJA1131_06, pdf article.pdf
- Version of Record
More information
Published date: January 2009
Organisations:
Archaeology
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 345183
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/345183
ISSN: 0002-9114
PURE UUID: 44395827-36e9-4418-81a8-968388722ea8
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 12 Nov 2012 14:47
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:22
Export record
Altmetrics
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics