A ROMAN BRONZE GROUP OF MITHRAS-SABAZIOS

CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN BRONZE GROUP OF MITHRAS-SABAZIOS
CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
The god shown mounted on horseback, wearing Phrygian cap, tunic and close-fitting trousers, chlamys falling down his back, a broad V-shaped collar across chest terminating with the horns of the crescent moon on each shoulder, holding a patera in outstretched right hand, a pinecone in left, behind a separately-made silver luna with punched dotted decoration attached with bronze belt, the horse standing on integral base with right foreleg raised, wearing lionskin and beaded necklace with amulet in the shape of the crescent moon, hair and mane flowing with stylised topknot between ears
8½ in. (21.5 cm.) high max.

Provenance

London art market, 1970s.

Lot Essay

Sabazios is a Phrygian and Thracian god of vegetation, his cult not dissimilar to that of the Greek Dionysos and including many of the same features of mystery cults. Standard iconography saw the god dressed in Phrygian attire, mounted on horseback, and carrying a pinecone. Under the Roman Empire, he became assimilated with Mithras, sharing much of the same ritual practice and cultic iconograpy. A Roman relief in the National Museum of Copenhagen depicts Sabazios in Phrygian attire, holding the pinecone in one hand, and with the Mithraic luna and other symbols in the field (cf., C. Ruck, Mushrooms, Myth & Mithras, San Francisco, 2011, pp.153ff.).

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