Norman J. Penny - pictish-mithraism.com

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The Mithraeum of the Seven Gates, Ostia, Italy – photo courtesy of www.ostia-antica.org The Mithraeum at Carrawburgh, Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland – photo courtesy of www.odysseyadvetbures.ca 8
5 Mithraic Astronomy & Astrology - Introduction The following is just a glimpse into related, all important, astronomy and astrology. The Mysteries of Mithras are indelibly linked to the astronomy and astrology as understood and in use at the time. The earth was considered to be at the centre of the universe with the planets (including the sun and moon) rotating around the earth in one direction and the firmament (celestial sphere) rotating in the opposite direction. This is easy to represent in two dimensions as a dot and two concentric circles. A three dimensional view would still have the earth at the centre but with a more sophisticated representation of the planets and firmament as two open structured spheres complete with the zodiac, both ecliptic and celestial equators and tilt on the axis. The planets know at the time were Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury and Saturn. Combined with the Sun and Moon the seven “planets” are associated with the seven steps in the ladder of initiation grades in the Roman Mithraic cult. With the belief that part of the importance of Mithras was due to his being able to rotate the entire universe (centred on the Earth), the position of planets and constellations is very important. The ability to cause, or be deemed to be able to cause, this precession - the movement of the universe through time - must have given Mithras an extremely high profile in a polytheistic time. It must be remembered that the position of constellations in our timeframe (2010) is not relevant (unless it were coincidentally the same); nor, according to David Ulansey, is the position in the early part of the first millennium CE relevant to the Mysteries of Mithras either. Allowing for apparent constellation locations for a specific Tauroctony alignment involving the Constellation Taurus, the significant timeframe is 2000 years before Roman Mithraism i.e. what the sky looked like about 4000 years ago. This is very important to understanding the relative positions of several constellations such that the Tauroctony occurred at a particular time of the year and has in its component constellations both the bull (Taurus) and Mithras (seen as Perseus above Taurus). So, for the Tauroctony to occur at the spring equinox the astronomical and astrological alignments need to apply to the so-called Age of Taurus (we currently are in the Age of Pisces). Each component of the Tauroctony has a celestial counterpart: Bull - Taurus; Dog - Canis Minor & Canis Major; Snake – Hydra, Serpens, Draco; Raven – Corvus; Scorpion – Scorpius; Wheat ears on bull’s tail – Spica; Cautes & Cautopates – Gemini; Lion – Leo; Crater (cup) – Crater; Sol – Sun; Luna – Moon; Cave – Universe. Mithras is shown in the Tauroctony with a figure on either side. Looking towards the Tauroctony to the viewers left is Cautes (representing the morning star and spring equinox) and to the right Cautopates (representing the evening star and autumn equinox). Other astronomical and astrological linkages can be made to Mithraism. For example, Taurus and Scorpius are in opposing sectors (around 180° apart) as, in effect, are Cautes and Cautopates who represent the equinoxes (which are 180° apart). The equinoxes in the past would have been in Taurus and Scorpius – which are represented in the Tauroctony by the bull’s head and the scorpion. The number “7” features in Mithraism in several aspects. There are (as known at the time) 7 planets. There are 7 steps as the progression grades in Mithraism; each of these 7 grades has an associated planet. The Plough has 7 stars – the bear which moves and turns the heavens around. 9
Page 1 and 2: Pictish Symbol Stones Deciphered -
Page 3 and 4: 1 Pictish Symbol Stones - Why so in
Page 5 and 6: 3 Mitra / Mithra / Mithras - “Who
Page 7: Tauroctony showing Mithras with his
Page 11 and 12: Associated Statues & Paintings Eith
Page 13 and 14: Faced with restrictions on material
Page 15 and 16: 8 Pictish Mithraea - Builders & Wor
Page 17 and 18: there is no suitable archaeological
Page 19 and 20: All this comes together in the Open
Page 21 and 22: The Pictish Symbols are firstly gro
Page 23 and 24: In deciphering symbols used in Mith
Page 25 and 26: Close study of the symbols on the P
Page 27 and 28: Occasionally the circles or discs a
Page 29 and 30: The author proposes that the Pictis
Page 31 and 32: Implement The set of hammer, anvil
Page 33 and 34: Attribution: Gask Ridge; Wikipedia
Page 35 and 36: 11 Pictish Mithraism - Proposition
Page 37 and 38: IV. “Pictish Mithraism” was Pra
Page 39: Copyright The information contained

Norman J. Penny - pictish-mithraism.com

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