Stefanie Lenk talks about her most recent research trip to Algeria in the company of nine fellow academics from Oxford and the British Museum, and discusses some the highlights of the trip for her own work on Late Antique baptisteries.
The first in a series of weekly instalments featuring insights from the authors of ‘Images of Mithra‘, published in March 2017, looks at perhaps the most well-known depiction of Mithras – the ‘tauroctony’ – and the peculiar direction of the god’s gaze.
Continue reading “The Importance of Mithras’ Stare: where to look?”
Mithras to the Romans, Mihr and Mithra in ancient Persia, Miiro in Kushan Bactria, this figure is not without allure. These names – similar yet distinct, that applied to figures with much in common, but equally a great deal to distinguish them – sparked the very simple question, what’s in a name?
The term ‘religion’ covers a diverse range of thoughts and beliefs. Some people understand their religion to prohibit all acts of violence, even to the smallest animal, while others believe their religion compels them to go to war. For some people religion is central to their identity and infuses every aspect of their life while for others it is something that relates to a particular place on a certain day. Religion’s diversity makes it hard to define though we all feel we recognise religiosity when we see it. Continue reading “Understanding art in religion”
Empires of Faith 