Jajce Mithraeum

Jajce Mithraeum

Jajački mitrej
Mithraeum in Jajce (July 2017) The Mithraeum in Jajce on 16 July 2017
Alternative name	Jajački Mithraeum
Location	Mitrasova, Jajce 70101, 87R8+8C Jajce
Region	Central Bosnia Canton
Coordinates
Type	Temple, sanctuary
Length	around 7 metres (23 ft)
Width	less than 7 metres (23 ft)
Height	floor level is 2.80 metres (9.2 ft) below ground level
History
Founded	early 4th century AD
Abandoned	Not known
Periods	Roman Imperial
Site notes
Excavation dates	1931
Archaeologists	Dimitrije Sergejevski
Ownership	Public
Public access	Limited
Designation
KONS of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Official name	Mithraeum in Jajce, the historic (antique religious) monument
Type	Category 0 monument
Criteria	A, B, E ii.iii.iv.v., F i.ii.iii., G i.iii.v., H i., I i.
Designated	21 January 2003 (?th session)
Part of	Jajce, the historic site (2494)
Reference no.	1317
Decisio no.	06-6-743/03
Operator	Agency for Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage and Development of Tourist Potential of Town Jajce

The Jajce Mithraeum, or Jajački Mithraeum (Serbo-Croatian: Jajački mitrej) is a mithraeum, or temple of Mithraism. It was rediscovered in an archaeological dig in 1931 in Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

History

Mithra was worshipped throughout the Roman era, from the late Republic to the later Imperial era. The cult of Mithraism spread from the Middle East to other parts of the Roman Empire throughout the Mediterranean basin, at first by military-political adventurers, travelers, slaves and merchants from the Orient. Later, Mithraism was spread by soldiers whose legions came into contact with the followers of the cult in the East.

The temple dates back to the early 4th century, although it could be as ancient as the 2nd century with repairs undertaken during the early 4th century.

This particular Mithraeum is one of the best-preserved sites in Europe.

The Jajce site is a typical spelaea. Mithraism followers typically sought to set up their places of worship in caves. In the absence of such topographical features, they excavated the soil and built the small single-celled temple (spelaea) to reinforce the impression of a cave.

Discovery and protection

File:Muzej Boga Mitre Jajce.jpg

New protection facility is erected in 2012

The remains of the Mithraeum in Jajce were discovered accidentally during excavation for the construction of a private house in 1931.

The site was purchased by the Society for the Preservation of Antiquities in Jajce and soon after a protective stone and mortar structure was constructed under the supervision of engineer F. Steiner. This structure was repaired in 1952 and survived until 2012 despite significant damage suffered during the Bosnian War.

A new facility replaced the previous one following the 2012 renovation, which cost approximately 260,000 KM (BAM) and was carried out under the MDG-F program "Promotion cultural understanding in Bosnia and Herzegovina" with the financial support of the Kingdom of Spain government.

The temple is now protected by a modern glass-walled steel-and-girder cage that allows visitors to see inside without entering. Visitors can enter with advance notice by contacting the Ethnological Museum of Jajce.

The Jajce Mithraeum is declared a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, including the old Jajce walled city core, the waterfall and other individual sites outside of the old city perimeter, as part of wider areal designated as The natural and architectural ensemble of Jajce, proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The natural and architectural ensemble of Jajce is currently placed on the UNESCO Tentative list.

See also

• List of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Walled city of Jajce
• Konjic Mithraeum
• Golubić Mithraeum