These Investigations explore prospective “Shared Space” combinations for beliefs.
Initially the plan was to see if any types of religious beliefs have a connection between one another but because of the range of non-religious carved objects on the Stones it was decided to consider every item and their prospective association, meaning or interpretation. An additional outcome could be a linkage between recognised religious objects with non-religious ones.
Specifically only Pictish “Symbol” Stones are considered here as it is from these so-called Class 1 and 2 Stones that the author has proposed the symbols can be decoded in a Mithraic sense. This does not apply to so-called Class 3 Stones which are entirely Christian.
With the Stones generally located in what has been called Pictland (nowadays generally Angus, Aberdeen and Moray) and specific carvings having a Mithraic meaning, the author uses the term Pictish-Mithraism [P-M] – a belief he has proposed was adopted from Roman-Mithraism, adapted and practiced in Pictland. P-M symbols are decoded at Pictish Symbols Decoded – and more.
Stones with animal, bird and fish carvings are evaluated in terms of potential Celtic attributes or Roman context, neither or both.
Christianity is readily recognised with well known Cross designs and representation of some biblical stories.
There are five Investigations. Four centre on exploring prospective Shared Space combinations for beliefs. The fifth has “stand-alone” beliefs i.e. with no combinations.
4 – Mithraic + Celtic + Christian
5 – Single Belief
Observations and Discussion pulls together the concluding comments from Investigations into “Shared Space Belief Combinations” etc. and was created as a step towards the final section “Was a Shared Space Successfully Enabled?“.