Mithraea were smaller shrines dedicated to Mithras, mainly dating from around the 2nd to the 4th century AD. Mithras used a bull as a sacrificial body for his sacrifice. This is undoubtedly a symbol of mithraism: Mithras who kills the bull. Because mithraism was a closed religion that only the chosen could enter, the shrines were small, private, and in the form of a cave. The third mithraeum in Ptuj was one of the most important in the area. Today, well-preserved foundations and a rich selection of monuments testify to this fact.
This diploma thesis, titled An attempt at a reconstruction of the third mithraeum of Ptuj, will include an attempt at a digital reconstruction of the third mithraeum in Ptuj. As a basis for the reconstruction, we first made a 3D model of the building based on photogrammetry. As part of this, we compared the use of a photocamera and a phone in the process of taking pictures in order to find out, which device is faster and more efficient. We prepared the floor plan of the two construction phases of the main part of the mithraeum, and a reconstruction that we designed, based on the comparison with the best preserved mithraeum.
In the introduction, we will briefly present mithraism and Ptuj's history. We will then discuss the history of the research, the chronology and description of the building, and the comparisons. Followed by a methodological part with a description of the workflow, and then try to showcase the reconstruction of the mithraeum.
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