Animal / nature worship Flashcards
How prominently and in what roles did animals feature in Roman religion?
Which 2 regions are useful for analysing animal and nature worship?
Gaul and Germany, and the Iberian Peninsula
What 3 examples of nature/animal worship from Gaul/Germany can be used in an analysis?
Gallo-Roman Jupiter with Eagle; mitraic reliefs with bull; Gall-Roman art with animals
What can Gallo-Roman Jupiter with Eagle tell us about animal/nature worship in Gaul and Germany?
In Gaul, depictions of Jupiter often included attributes associated with eagles. Frequently depicted holding a thunderbolt and accompanied by an eagle. Statues and reliefs of Jupiter with eagles have been found in various archaeological sites throughout Gaul.
Where can we find artistic examples of the Jupiter with Eagle?
The temple complex of Ariens and the sanctuary of Eutremout
What can Mithraic reliefs with bull tell us about animal/nature worship in Gaul and Germany?
Venerated image, like Jesus on the cross (two concepts always depicted together). Mithras sacrificing (or killing, unusual sacrificial method), snake and dog drinking blood from the wound - scorpion grabbing the bull’s testicles. Perhaps representative of star signs (e.g. scorpio). Cave could represent the universe…
Animals feasting on the life of the bull (blood, sperm) and often depicted corn coming from its tail: birth of universe or new phase of its existence?
Mithraic rituals: feasts with primarily chicken and young pig on the menu; the individual sacrifice of birds. No evidence of bulls being sacrificed.
Where in Gaul and Germany are there examples of mithraeum?
Cologne and Divadorum
What can Gallo-Roman art with animals tell us about animal/nature worship in Gaul and Germany?
Real and mythological animals in art in Gaul - symbolising aspects of nature fertility and divine attributes. E.g. sculptures and reliefs depicting Celtic deities such as Cernunnos (horned god associated with animals and the wild) have been found in Gaulish sanctuaries like the Glomberg site in Germany and sanctuary of Roquepertuse in France
What 3 examples of animal/nature worship can be found in the Iberian peninsula?
Lusitanian bull; Roman mosaic art; the cult of Silvanus
What can the Lusitanian bull tell us about animal/nature worship in the Iberian peninsula?
Bull was a significant symbol in Iberian and Roman religious context. In Lusitania (Portugal/Spain) depictions of bulls were common in religious art and iconography, often associated with fertility, strength and sacrifice. Can be found in sculptures, reliefs, native offerings found in sanctuaries and religious sites throughout the region. Reo - potentially the Gallic/ Lusitanian contemporary of Apis - is a name appearing on Latin dedications to a Lusitanian-Gallaecian deity, usually with an epithet relating to a place, such as Reo Paramaeco discovered in Lugo in Galicia.
What can Roman mosaic art tell us about animal/nature worship in the Iberian peninsula?
Roman mosaics found in villas and public buildings across the Iberian Peninsula often depict scenes from nature, including animals such as birds, fish and marine creatures. These mosaics served decorative and religious purposes with some designs incorporating elements of Roman mythology and symbolism.
What can the cult of Silvanus tell us about animal/nature worship in the Iberian peninsula?
Roman god associated with forests, uncultivated lands and wildlife. Prominent cult in Iberian communities. Often depicted alongside woodland animals to emphasise his connection to nature. Possible counterpart to Pan/Bacchus.
