Find Spot record 8088/56 - Roman Stone Figure from White Friars

A stone relief found in the wall of a cellar in White Friars, then occupied by Mrs Nicholson. Cellar said to adjoin that of No 12 White Friars (1). The stone may have been built into and later robbed from the south wall of the fortress close by.

When discovered, the figure was interpreted as Cautopates of the Roman cult of Mithraism, in part due to the discovery of a similar figure nearby (CHER 8088/30) (5).

The stone relief is said to depict Attis, associated with the mother goddess Cybele or Atys associated with the cult of Mithras. (9)

<1> Thompson Watkin W. T., 1886, Roman Cheshire: A Description of Roman Remains in the County of Chester, p192 (Book). SCH2878.

<2> Chester Archaeological Society, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, 1857 lst s/1/202 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1595.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p160 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Peter Salway, 1981, Roman Britain (Book). SCH4888.

<5> Haverfield, F, 1900, Catalogue of the Roman Sculptured stones in the Grosvenor Museum, No 170 (Article in Journal). SCH5530.

<6> Shrubsole, George W, 1886, Catalogue of the Roman Altars, No 17 (Book). SCH6540.

<7> Williams W.J., 1921, The Cult of Mithra in Deva (Article in Journal). SCH5686.

<8> Lawson, P H, 1926, Schedule of the Roman Remains of Chester with Maps and Plans, No 40 (Article in Journal). SCH5956.

<9> Henig D.F, 2004, Roman Sculpture in the NW Midlands, No 16 (Book). SCH6862.

<10> David James Laverty, 2014-2015, The Search for Mithras in Roman Britain: A Reassessment of the Archaeological Evidence, p.28 (Unpublished Report). SCH8586.