Roman
gate discovered in ancient city of Hippos could solve mystery of mask of Pan
Mask of Pan
A Roman gate
discovered during excavations by the University of Haifa in the ancient city of
Hippos, located at Sussita National Park, may cast light on the mystical bronze
mask of Pan, considered by archeologists to be the only object of its kind in
the world.
Researchers from the
university’s Zinman Institute of Archaeology announced on Monday that they
believe the gate may have led to the compound of Pan, the god of shepherds,
after unearthing it during last year’s excavation season.
Half man and half goat, Pan also represents fields, music and merriment, the researchers said.
Greek bronze mirror case with Aphrodite and Pan, c350 BC. Aphrodite and Pan are depicted with an incised drawing playing knucklebones, a popular children's game. Said to be from Corinth. From the British Museum's collection.
The Roman gate discovered
“The discovery of a
bronze mask of this size depicting one of the gods was an innovation on a
global level, a fact that seriously complicated efforts to date the item or
explain its possible function,” said Dr. Michael Eisenberg, the head of the
expedition.
“Now that the whole
gate has been exposed, we not only have better information for dating the mask,
but also a clue to its function. Are we looking at a gate that led to the
sanctuary of the god Pan or one of the rustic gods?”
Eisenberg noted that
until now, it has only been possible to suggest hypotheses regarding the mask’s
original function and use.
He said the mask was
discovered in the remains of a large basalt ashlar building, and the
researchers assumed that uncovering the building would provide additional
information about the unique object.
“As happens almost
every year, Hippos did not fail to yield some surprises,” he said. “The
researchers were working on the hypothesis that the building formed part of the
fortifications of the city, but as they dug deeper they found two square basalt
towers with dimensions of approximately 6.3m. by 6.3m. and a portal of 3.7m.
wide in between.”
The researchers
concluded that the original gateway was over 6m. high, while the building
(propylaeum) itself was even taller,” the archeologist said.
“The propylaeum can
probably be dated to the period of the emperor Hadrian, who reigned from 117 to
138 CE, or slightly earlier,” Eisenberg said. “The mask was presumably fixed to
a wall or altar at the compound, as its rear side included remnants of lead
used for stabilization purposes.”
Thanks to the
discovery, he said researchers can offer a fuller analysis regarding not only
the mask’s dating, but also its function.
“When we found the
mask we assumed that it had filled a ritual function,” Eisenberg explained.
“Since we found it outside the city, one of the hypotheses was that we were
looking at evidence of a mysterious ritual center that existed outside the
city. However, as we all know, monumental gate structures lead to large
compounds.”
Consequently, he said
it is possible that the gate led to a large building complex, perhaps a
sanctuary in honor of the god Pan or one of the other rustic gods, situated
just before the entrance to the city of Hippos.
“The mask, and now
the gate in which it was embedded, continue to fire our imaginations,”
Eisenberg said, noting that the worship of Pan sometimes included ceremonies
involving drinking, sacrifices, and ecstatic rituals including nudity and sex.
“This worship usually
took place outside the city walls, in caves and other natural settings,” he
continued. “We are very familiar with the city of Paneas to the north of
Hippos, which was the site of one of the best-known sanctuaries for the worship
of Pan. But here we find a monumental gate and evidence of an extensive
compound, so the mystery only gets stranger.”
“What kind of worship
of Pan or his fellow Dionysus, the god of wine, took place here in Hippos? To
answer that question, we will have to keep on digging,” concluded Eisenberg.
The next excavation
season begins next month, with the participation of dozens of researchers and
volunteers from Israel and around the world.
