We reserve our Hors Commerce Editions for only the most exceptional works. Ritual & Epiphany in the Mysteries of Mithras – The Cult of Saturn in Imperial Rome by Peter Mark Adams is such a title — a singular, groundbreaking study that deserves equally remarkable presentation.
This special edition stands apart from the forthcoming Auric Edition, featuring a distinctive leather binding, an alternate cover design with real gold embossing, and a hand-signed signature page by the author. Most notably, it will be encased in a custom, hand-crafted box with a unique “rising mechanism” — a fitting tribute to Mithras, the god who is said to have emerged from the rock.
To give you a glimpse of this extraordinary housing, we’ve included a demonstration video from our binder below. Please note: the example shown differs in color, size, and binding — our edition will feature a dark, full-leather exterior with a golden interior.
This is a rare opportunity to secure one of our most exclusive offerings — ahead of the official pre-order.
About the book: Ritual & Epiphany in the Mysteries of Mithras – The Cult of Saturn in Imperial Rome takes readers deep into the heart of the Mithraic mysteries, offering a profound exploration of the cult’s ritual practices and transformative visionary experiences. Blending cutting-edge scholarship with first-hand accounts of initiation and contemporary ethnographies of ritual performance, Adams provides an unparalleled glimpse into this ancient esoteric tradition.
Approaching the material from an emic (insider’s) perspective, the author examines the cult’s hierarchical grade structure, ceremonial roles, and ritual mechanics—revealing how initiates invoked the serpent power and encountered the awe-inspiring epiphany of Saturn-Kronos, the sovereign time-deity.
Through a richly interdisciplinary lens—drawing on Orphic metaphysics, Greco-Roman ritual theory, art history, and comparative ethnographies of initiation—Adams vividly animates Mithraic iconography, frescoes, and reliefs as ritual grammar encoding the lived phenomenology of participation.
Richly illustrated and deeply insightful, this volume revives the Cult of Mithras as Western Europe’s preeminent mystery tradition, offering readers both scholarly rigor and spiritual resonance.
About the author: Peter Mark Adams is an author, poet and essayist specialising in the ethnography of ritual, sacred landscapes, esotericism, consciousness and healing. A Philosophy graduate, Peter pursues advanced studies in iconology, iconography, Renaissance art and material culture with the Warburg Institute’s School of Advanced Studies; and studies of Middle Egyptian tomb and temple texts with former Yale associate professor Dr. Colleen Darnell. Peter is an Associate Member of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE).
This Hors Commerce Edition is only available to the recipients of this exclusive advance offer and will not be offered in our subscriber pre-order and general sales.
Bibliographic Details
- 272 pages, measuring 170 x 240 mm.
- Printed on premium 120gsm wood-free paper.
- Features metallic auburn-colored endpapers, gold headbands and a gold ribbon marker.
- Includes numerous color and greyscale illustrations and photographs.
Hors Commerce Edition (PRE-ORDER; reservation fee)
- Custom hand-made book box with “lifting mechanism”; two-side opening, covers in full leather, interior box laminated in gold-colored quality cover paper.
- Bound in dark red leather (premium South German bull hides), fully hand-crafted in Germany.
- Raised bands on rounded spine.
- 23ct Gold embossing on spine and cover.
- Includes a special signature page, hand-numbered and signed by the author.
- Price: 735,- EUR + shipping (incl. VAT if applicable)
Reservations for the Hors Commerce Edition are open until midnight CET on April 22nd.
To reserve your copy, please pay a 150 EUR non-refundable reservation fee now; you may pay the remainder once the Edition is in production at the bindery which should be in July.
Disclaimer: the video shared is for illustrative purpose only; the box for our edition will have dark, full-leather covers and golden interior (and a different size and book).
