Temple of Mithras community archaeology oral history project
With Bloomberg, we undertook an oral history project to capture memories of the discovery of the Temple of Mithras. The greatest archaeological discovery of its time, the temple captivated public imagination with an estimated 400,000 people flocking to the site to catch a glimpse of the remains as they were excavated.
The project aimed to capture the personal experiences of this important event in London’s history, whilst it was still in living memory. The project began on the 22 September 2014, 60 years after the original discovery. As well as capturing oral histories we also collected copies of images, letters, newspaper clippings and other ephemera relating to the discovery of the temple.
The oral history participants were invited to view the reconstructed remains of the temple of Mithras at London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE in 2018. This moving film captures the project and their visit.
The collection is an enduring educational and research collection that can be studied and enjoyed by local school children and future generations.
The oral history project is archived with the Bishopsgate Institute and online. To listen to the oral histories and explore the project for yourself please visit www.londonmithraeum.com/oral-history.