An ancient Roman gateway unearthed at an archaeological site in Israel may once have led to the ‘sanctuary’ of the half-man, half-goat god, Pan.

The discovery follows an unusual find at the same site last year – a massive bronze mask representing the face of Pan, and the only known object of its kind.

Ceremonial worship of the rustic gods often included drinking, sacrifice, and ‘ecstatic’ sex rituals, and the researchers are now working to determine just what went on at the ancient compound.

An ancient Roman gateway unearthed at an archaeological site in Israel may once have led to the ‘sanctuary’ of the half-man, half-goat god, Pan. The researchers are now working to determine just what went on at the ancient compound

THE SHEPHERD GOD Pan is the Greek name for one of the rustic gods in ancient mythology, representing shepherds and flocks, the mountain wilds, music, and merriment. In Roman mythology, this god was known as Faunus. He has the upper body of a man, but the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat. Advertisement

The gate was discovered at Hippos during excavations by the University of Haifa’s Zinman Institute of Archaeology and dates back to the reign of Emperor Hadrian, between 117 and 138CE.

This site lies within Israel's Sussita National Park.

Researchers suggest an ‘extensive compound’ may have existed here as well, where the mask could have been affixed to a wall or altar.

Pan, the shepherd god, also represents music, fields, and merriment, and rituals in his honour typically took place outside of the cities, in caves or other natural settings.

The enormous mask was found during last year’s excavation season in the remains of a basalt ashlar building, and the freshly unearthed gate provides new insight on this unusual artefact.

‘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,’ said Dr. Michael Eisenberg, who led the expedition.

‘Are we looking at a gate that led to the sanctuary of the god Pan or one of the rustic gods?’

The discovery follows an unusual find at the same site last year – a massive bronze mask representing the face of Pan, and the only known object of its kind. Pan, the shepherd god, also represents music, fields, and merriment

In the dig, the researchers found two square basalt towers roughly six meters wide and six meters tall, with a space of almost four meters between them.

In the dig, the researchers found two square basalt towers roughly six-by-six meters each, with a space of almost four meters between them.

They estimate that the gateway once stood more than six meters high, and the building behind it was even taller.

‘When we found the mask on its own, we assumed that it had filled a ritual function,’ Eisenberg said.

‘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.

The gate was discovered at Hippos during excavations by the University of Haifa’s Zinman Institute of Archaeology and dates back to the reign of Emperor Hadrian, between 117 and 138CE

'Accordingly, it is not impossible that this 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.’

Archaeologists have gradually excavated the ancient city of Hippos over the past six years.

The next season will take place in July, bringing in researchers and volunteers from around the world.

As the work continues, they will look for other clues to help fill holes in the expanding mystery.

The enormous mask was found during last year’s excavation season in the remains of a basalt ashlar building, and the freshly unearthed gate provides new insight on this unusual artefact

‘The mask, and now the gate in which it was embedded, are continuing to fire our imaginations,’ Dr. Eisenberg said.

‘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.

‘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 that the mystery only gets stranger.