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HAWARTEEXCAVATION AND RESTORATION WORK

IN 2003

Grzegorz Majcherek

1) Mission Director Prof. Micha³ Gawlikowski, who was unable to attend for the entire season, entrusted the author ofthis report with responsibility for the fieldwork. The team included: Mr. Wojciech Terlikowski, architect, and Mr. MarekPuszkarski, documentalist. Mrs. Ewa Parandowska assisted by Ms Izabela Uchman-Laskowska and Mr. Cristobal Calaforra-Rzepka carried out the conservation work. The Syrian side was efficiently represented by Mr. Nadim al-Khoury, Director ofAfamia Museum, who shared with us the arduous duties of daily work and who spared no time and effort to assist us inevery way. Messrs. Nazzar Aliqi, archaeologist, Mohammed Malbawy and Ahmed Albush, architects, also joined theexpedition for a few days, assisting in preparing the design of a permanent shelter over the mithraeum. 2) The mithraeum was discovered accidentally in 1997 under a church of the Archbishop Photios excavated in the 1970sby a French expedition, cf. M.T. and P. Canivet, Huarte. Sanctuaire chrétien d'Apamene (IVe-Ve s.) (Paris 1987). 3) Cf. reports by M. Gawlikowski, PAM X, Reports 1998 (1999), esp. 201-204; PAM XI, Reports 1999 (2000), esp. 268-271; PAM XII, Reports 2000 (2001), 309-314; id., “Un nouveau mithraeum recemment découvert à Huarte prés d’Apamée”,CRAI 2000 (2001), 119-127.

The joint Syro-Polish mission working in Hawarte on behalf of the Directorate General ofAntiquities and Museums continued an excavation and restoration program initiated in1998. This season's work lasted from 20 September to 16 October 2003.1)As before, theDGAM provided the mission with lodging in its dighouse at Apamea, as well as suppliedbuilding materials necessary for a provisional shelter erected over the cave.

Four seasons of work have resulted in the clearing of most of the cave.2) The mithraeum,as we now know, consisted of a main sanctuary-hall furnished with benches and cult niche(room A), adjoined on the west by a large antechamber (room B) and entrance vestibule(room C) opening onto it from the south (Fig. 1). As evidenced by the pottery finds the latterwas also used for preparing sacred meals. In all previously explored rooms, walls were asa rule decorated with mural paintings representing various themes and motifs from Mithraicmythology.3) It is these well-preserved paintings that make the mithraeum in Hawarteunique, not only in Syria but in the Roman world in general.

In keeping with the long-term program aimed at preserving paintings in situ and openingthe site to the public, a team of restorers concurrently carried on extensive conservation work.

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Fig. 1. Plan of the mithraeum(Drawing G. Majcherek, W. Terlikowski, M. Wagner)

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With the goal of completing archa-eological research and preparing the sitefor display, the team conducted detailedsite data collection and completed theexcavations of the cave by exploring itswestern limits. Concurrently, architecturaland substantive designs for the finaldisplay of the mithraeum were prepared.

CHAMBER BIt was apparent from the outset thatchamber B, excavated already in 2001,originally reached beyond the churchfacade.4) A sounding dug in this arearevealed the edge of painted plastering.Huge foundations supporting the heavyload of facade wall were built across thechamber covering at the same time some ofthe painting decorating the north side ofthe cave (Fig. 2).

It was decided therefore to extend theexcavation to the west, into the area of theportico running along the western facadeof the church. Fragmentarily preservedportico paving, as well as an adjoiningsmall stretch of the stylobate were removedafter being recorded in photo and drawing.All the preserved blocks and flagstoneswere duly marked and stacked nearby forfuture reconstruction.

After clearing a thick leveling layer,composed mostly of detritus and loosebuilding debris, and associated withchurch construction, the original fill of themithraeum was uncovered. The churchfoundations were recognized as being builtin a deep trench cutting into the fill. Theexistence of this foundation trench isinstrumental for understanding the finalphase of cave occupation. It argues that the

EXCAVATIONS

Fig. 2. Cross-section through chambers A and B(Drawing G. Majcherek)

4) M. Gawlikowski, PAM XIII, Reports 2001 (2002), 271-278.

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Fig. 3. Fragment of mural painting uncovered in chamber B(Photo C. Calaforra-Rzepka)

mithraeum had been abandoned and partlydestroyed well before the decision to buildthe church. While there is no doubtthat the cave must have been desecrated byzealot Christians as evidenced by severalcrosses carved on the paintings, it is alsoobvious that the construction of the churchof Photios on top of the pagan templewas not the immediate reason for itsdestruction.

As before, the fill in this area consistedof stone rubble, occasional large blocks ofmasonry and several assorted fragments ofarchitectural decoration. Some ceramic

fragments found in the fill apparently post-date the Mithraeum function and belongto the 5th century horizon. Contrary toother areas of the cave, very few fragmentsof painted plastering were retrieved fromthe fill, dashing hopes for further murals.And indeed, a fragment of painting wasfound preserved only on a small section ofthe north wall. The painting is divided bya broad red stripe into two registers(Fig. 3). In the upper one, a lion's back witha long and twisted tail is visible. To the left,there is a fragmentary representation ofa person (preserved from the waist down)

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Fig. 4. Western end of chamber B as excavated in 2003(Photo C. Calaforra-Rzepka)

5) Id., PAM XII, loc. cit., esp. Fig. 3.

dressed in a short tunic. Garlands and otherfloral designs identical to those alreadyknown from other walls decorate the lowerregister.

A piece of mural discovered this seasonapparently belongs to a large paintingfound in 2001 on the other side of thechurch wall, depicting two facing lionstearing apart black men.5) This perhaps, isone of the most impressive representationsdiscovered in the cave, but its exactsymbolic meaning remains unclear.

This part of the mithraeum isstructurally different from the rest of the

cave. Instead of being cut into bedrock, thenorth wall was built in pillar technique,with large pillars constructed of hugedressed blocks and smaller haphazardly setstones filling the intervals. Sometimes anashy mortar was applied, but very often thejoints were left unpointed (Fig. 4). There isa strong possibility that walls of this kindseparate the mithraeum from another, asyet unexplored part of the cave.

The southern end of the chamberexhibits a different arrangement. A largefreestanding pillar was cleared down to thefoundation. It now rises some 1.90 m

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Fig. 6. Pseudo-Ionic capital found in chamber B(Drawing M. Puszkarski, M. Wagner)

Fig. 5. Roof tile from chamber B(Photo C. Calaforra-Rzepka)

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above floor level, but its original heightcould be estimated at 2.50 m. A similarpillar had been cleared previously west ofthe facade wall. The evidence considered asa whole leads to the inevitable conclusionthat this part of the mithraeum took on theform of a large hall. It seems that at someunspecified moment the original rockceiling had collapsed and was consequentlyrebuilt as a tiled roof supported on pillars.This assumption is further corroborated bya large quantity of broken roof-tiles foundin the overfloor layer (Fig. 5).

The western end of the chamber ismore peculiar. It might have been orig-inally shaped as an apse flanked by a pillarand a much decayed limestone column,set c. 1.90 m apart. A complete Pseudo-Ionic capital with unusually shaped full-ring volutes, most probably toppled fromthe column, was found nearby (Fig. 6).Later on, this part of the cave was pre-sumably transformed into an additionalentrance, as evidenced by a hastily madethree steps leading down to the floorlevel. Two altars were found reused intheir construction. Other proof of re-building and alteration include twospheroid basalt stones found by thenorthern wall and used in the con-struction of a small banquette (Fig. 7). Inall probability, when put one on top of theother, these stones could be interpreted asyet another symbol in Mithraic mytho-logy, representing the omphalos – thesacred stone from which Mithra was born.

CHAMBER AA large oval rock-cut pit (c. 2.15 m indiameter) located almost in the middle ofchamber A was explored. It was used asa decanting bin for some libation rites asproved by a small channel leading froma nearby altar and emptying into it.

The pit apparently predated theexisting arrangement of the sanctuary,since it was found partially sealed bya bench built along the eastern wall of thecave. It proved to be filled with alternatinglayers of ashes and loosely packed soildown to the bottom at c. 1.50 m belowfloor level. Much to our surprise theexploration produced a substantial depositof ceramic wares of Early Roman date.

Careful processing of the finds resultedin a significant number of vessels restored.While common wares were rather scarce,tableware appeared in great quantity.Apart from imported thin-walled drinkingcups, a dozen or so examples of EasternSigillata A plates was also recorded,

Fig. 7. Basalt omphalos found in the cave(Photo C. Calaforra-Rzepka)

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representing mostly Atalante forms 34-35(Fig. 8).6) Particularly interesting wereexamples of oil lamps (Fig. 9) and last butnot least, a large skyphos (or crater) withapplied decoration featuring scrolling vine(Fig. 10). In chronological terms, theassemblage is quite homogenous, beingdated to the second half of the 1st centuryAD.

The content of the pit (pottery andglass vessels, numerous animal bone frag-

ments and ashes) provides convincingevidence that it had been used originally asa bothros for offerings.

This unexpected find raised questionsabout the earliest phase in the occupationof the cave. It is very tempting to see thebeginning of the Mithraic cult at Hawartein the late 1st century AD. The earliestextant historical and archaeological recordspoint to the end of the 1st century AD –beginning of 2nd century AD as thegenerally agreed upon date for thebeginning of the diffusion of Mithraicworship in the Roman world. On the otherhand, the view has prevailed that Mithraismin the East was a later back-formation ofthe cult in the West. Recent discoveries ofmithraea at Caesarea and Doliche, bothdated to the turn of the 1st century AD,have challenged this widespread notion7)

and our findings at Hawarte appear tocorroborate this revision.

CHAMBER COn the western side of the entrancechamber, in what appears to have beenoriginally a small side room, later used asa dumping place, a large deposit of kitchenrefuse and discarded pottery was partiallycleared already in 2001.8) Exploration ofthis deposit was continued this year,bringing to light more broken cookingpots, jugs and drinking vessels. Thecollection of recovered and partiallyrecomposed vessels turned out to beparticularly significant for chronologicalconsiderations, as it represents a ratherunique assemblage of forms dated mostlyto the late 4th century AD, i.e., the finalphase in cave occupation.

6) Cf. J.W. Hayes, “Sigillate Orientali”, in: Enciclopedia dell’Arte Antica, Atalante delle forme ceramice (Roma 1985), 9-47.7) For a recent discussion, cf. R. Beck, “The mysteries of Mithra: a new account of their genesis”, JRS LXXXVIII (1998),115-128.8) Gawlikowski, PAM XIII, op. cit., 276-278.

Fig. 8. Early Roman tableware from thebothros in Chamber A (not to scale)(Drawing G. Majcherek, M. Wagner)

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Fig. 10. Skyphos with applied decoration from the bothros in chamber A(Photo C. Calaforra-Rzepka)

Fig. 9. Early Roman lamps from the bothros in Chamber A(Photo C. Calaforra-Rzepka)

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CONSERVATION

The wall paintings were found to be ingenerally good condition, although theprolonged sealing of the mithraeum hasresulted in some salt precipitation on themural surface. This was caused mainly bya slow but constant damp rising from thebedrock. All painted surfaces were onceagain cleaned, first mechanically withbrushes and scalpels and then by rinsingwith a 30% solution of ethanol. Some minordamages to the lime-sand mortar band pro-tecting the edges were repaired. Voids andblisters were injected with fine sand, calci-um carbonate and water solution of PRIMAL

AC-33 (ratio 1:1:1.5). Previously untreatedgaps and lacunae were now filled with lime-sand putty. A similar, standard conservationprocedure was also followed for the newlyuncovered painting in chamber B.

Upon concluding the campaign, pro-tective timber-supported roofing made ofcorrugated sheet iron was constructed overthe newly excavated area.

It turned out that hundreds of smallerdetached fragments previously recoveredfrom the fill and stored in the basementof the Hama Museum were in criticalcondition requiring immediate inter-vention.9) It appeared that some of thewooden trays had deteriorated due tofungal decay as a result of the increaseddamp noted in the museum stores. Newtrays were made to replace the damagedones and the affected plaster fragmentswere disinfected with PREVENTOL (20%solution in ethanol). As a preventivemeasure, the trays were additionallytreated with fungicide.

9) For the initial treatment, cf. E. Parandowska, “Hawarte. Conservation of a mural”, PAM XIV, Reports 2002 (2003), 295-299.