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hadrianswall_037.jpg
94.66 Kb
2.13 x 1.60 inches
Housesteads Roman Fort can be seen at the top of this hill. Apologies
for the poor quality of the photo. The fort was already closed for
the day, so this is the only photo I took.
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hadrianswall_039.jpg
162.03 Kb
8.89 x 6.64 inches
A temple dedicated to the worship of Mithras, God of Light, built
by the Roman soldiers stationed in the nearby fort. It was discovered
poking out of formerly boggy ground during an especially dry summer
in 1949. The altars are reproductions - the originals are in the
Museum of Antiquities in Newcastle upon Tyne, in the life-size reconstruction
of this Mithraeum.
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hadrianswall_040.jpg
162.53 Kb
8.89 x 6.67 inches
The three main altars. The sun was low and to the left, which is
why the picture is a bit washed out, especially in the upper left
corner.
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hadrianswall_042.jpg
179.13 Kb
8.89 x 6.67 inches
I was quite amazed that the center altar holds quite a cache of
coins. Obviously many have visited here and left an offering (to
Mithras?) but what amazes me is that the money is still here. You'd
think someone would have nicked it by now. Someone even left a necklace.
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hadrianswall_043.jpg
120.50 Kb
5.00 x 6.67 inches
Detail of the lefthand altar. The altar itself is cut so that light
can shine through the feather-looking headdress.
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hadrianswall_045.jpg
193.20 Kb
8.89 x 6.67 inches
Buried History. Cawfields fort (known to the Romans as Brocolitia
or Procolitia) remains buried beneath two thousand years of dirt.
John is walking along the fort's wall (remember the photo of the
wall at Birdsowald?). This fort probably looks much like Birdoswold,
since the Romans seemed to delight in uniformity in their construction.
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