CIMRM 2364 - Rectangle gem. Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, USA.

Description: Front: Mithras slaughtering a bull. In the top corners a radiate head and a woman's head with crescent (Sol and Luna); an altar at either side, one with an eagle over it; a snake, a scorpion, and dog below. Back: Abraxas, IAΩ on a shield, a whip in his hand. An unusual combination of the Mithraic and magic. Collection Record: Walters Art Museum, Baltimore: 42.868. Boardman, J. with Scarisbrick, D.; Wagner, C.; Zwierlein-Diehl, E.: The Marlborough Gems. Formerly at Blenheim Palace (2009): no. 626 Story-Maskelyne, M.H.: The Marlborough Gems (1870): no. 278 and 287

Note: For full-size colour images of the impression the reader should visit the Classical Art Research Centre site. The low-resolution images shown here have been cropped and sharpened to bring out the detail for comparison purposes.

CIMRM entry

2364. Horizontal rectangle haematite (0.018 X 0.013 X 0.003), set in elaborate gold mounting. Baltimore, Waiters Art Gallery 42.868, formerly in Marlborough Collection. Bonner, 264 No. 68 and Pl. IV, 68. My description is that of Bonner. I am grateful to Mr. E. E. Peterson of the University of Michigan to supply me with photographs. See fig. 658. Obv.: "Bull to l., sacrificed by Mithra, who presses his r. knee upon its back, grasps a horn with his l.h. and slaughters the bull with a knife in his r.h., looking back as he does so. He wears Oriental dress, Phrygian cap, close-fitting ribbed tunic, scarf flying behind his shoulders and long closefitting trousers reaching to ankle. Below, a scorpion attacking the bull's testicles and a long snake, head reared as if to attach the forelegs or chest; in front, a poorly executed dog. In the upper corners, l., head of moongoddess, below which is a small burning altar; at r. sun-god, below which are a crow with seed or small fruit in bill and another burning altar. Rev.: The cock-headed god with serpent legs, head to l., whip in r.h., shield inscribed IAW on l. arm. Serpent coils rather more elaborate than usual."