O.V. Obukhov writes the following specifically about her and the tauroctony (from the book The Pantheon and the Royal Cult in Commagene):
[...Thus, G.A. Koshelenko views the tauroctony as a reinterpretation of the late Babylonian Kalu ritual. In his view, even more significant was the New Year’s ritual, during which a white bull—the embodiment of nature’s generative forces—was sacrificed (with references to F. Turo-Dangen and G. Videngren). It is known, for example, that the taurbolia ritual was performed in the Mithraeum at Uruk-Varka, as evidenced by the discovery of a clay seal depicting a taurictoony scene. Sculptural remains of a taurictoony scene were also discovered in layers dating to the first centuries CE in the ancient Armenian city of Artashat. This ritual is apparently described in a reinterpreted form in the Armenian folk epic about David of Sasun.]
Thanks for sharing, Hetanos. I haven’t had a chance to visit Garni yet, but it has been highly recommended to me. Do you know if anything else has been published on the sculptural group? I’d be very interested to read more about it.
Unfortunately, this relief from Artashat and the bull’s head from Garni have been poorly studied by Armenian archaeologists. I found these and several other artifacts while digging through old Armenian-language reports on Soviet-era archaeological finds. Armenian academics apparently simply forgot about the existence of these finds, and I mostly find comments about them in Russian academic works.
Now for something more interesting: a relatively new and rarely mentioned artifact - the marble bull’s head from Garni, about which very little information is available. I will refer to the official channel of the Historical Monuments Preservation Service:
[One of the exceptional artifacts held in the collections of the State National Cultural Organization “Service for the Protection of the Historical Environment and Historical-Cultural Museums and Reserves” is a marble bull’s head discovered several years ago in the Garni Gorge.
After Christianity was proclaimed the state religion in Armenia in 301, although the fortresses and defensive complexes remained intact, pagan places of worship were razed to the ground. Only in a few places were some temples adapted to the new religion and rebuilt as Christian sanctuaries.
The Garni Temple is an exception, as it has been preserved in its original form and was used as a secular building. According to the account of Movses Khorenatsi, the “father of Armenian historiography” (presumably born around 410—died in 490), the Garni Temple was converted into the summer residence of Khosrovadukht, the sister of King Trdat III.
Followers of the new religion smashed to pieces and threw into the gorge the marble statue of Mithra, the sun god and bull-fighter, which had been installed in the apse.
Centuries later, during excavations near the temple, a bull’s hoof carved from white marble was discovered, which, according to experts, was part of this sculptural group. Two other fragments—a marble bull’s head and a fragment of the sculptural group’s pedestal—were discovered by chance in 2011 on a steep slope of the gorge.]
The international journal of the Order of the Star in the East, published around Jiddu Krishnamurti and the Theosophical expectation of a coming World Teacher.
René Guénon’s study of the “King of the World” and the hidden spiritual centre said to underlie the sacred geography, symbols and traditional order of different civilisations.
René Guénon’s foundational study of Hindu doctrines, presenting them as expressions of an immutable metaphysical tradition while challenging Western interpretations of Indian religion and philosophy.
Alain Daniélou traces Shiva and Dionysus to a common prehistoric tradition, presenting Shaivism as a surviving key to the pagan religions, rites and symbols of the ancient West.
Alain Daniélou’s autobiographical journey between East and West, tracing his pursuit of spiritual freedom, beauty and the sacred from Europe to India and back again.
The second Antaios dossier on Hindutva, bringing together pagan, traditionalist and Hindu perspectives on India, with contributions by Alain Daniélou, Alain de Benoist and others.
Founded by H. P. Blavatsky in Bombay in 1879, the journal of the Theosophical Society became a major forum for Theosophy, comparative religion, occultism and the study of ancient spiritual traditions.
The London Theosophical monthly that succeeded H. P. Blavatsky’s Lucifer in 1897, edited by Annie Besant and G. R. S. Mead and devoted to comparative religion, occultism and ancient spiritual traditions.
Manly P. Hall’s monumental 1928 survey of the ancient Mysteries, occult philosophy and esoteric symbolism, including an influential modern interpretation of the rites and symbolism of Mithras.
A London monthly founded by H. P. Blavatsky in 1887, Lucifer became an important forum for Theosophical writing on religion, esotericism, symbolism and the ancient Mysteries.
![Tauroctony relief from Artashat (Artaxata)
O.V. Obukhov writes the following specifically about her and the tauroctony (from the book *The Pantheon and the Royal Cult in Commagene*):
[...Thus, G.A. Koshelenko views the tauroctony as a reinterpretation of the late Babylonian Kalu ritual. In his view, even more significant was the New Year’s ritual, during which a white bull—the embodiment of nature’s generative forces—was sacrificed (with references to F. Turo-Dangen and G. Videngren). It is known, for example, that the taurbolia ritual was performed in the Mithraeum at Uruk-Varka, as evidenced by the discovery of a clay seal depicting a taurictoony scene. Sculptural remains of a taurictoony scene were also discovered in layers dating to the first centuries CE in the ancient Armenian city of Artashat. This ritual is apparently described in a reinterpreted form in the Armenian folk epic about David of Sasun.]
Sources:
1: Խաչատրյան, Ժ. Դ. - Արտաշատ II ([ref:6a9d9eb8b7f4c])
2: Обухов, С. В. - Пантеон и царский культ в Коммагене. Эпоха Митридата I Каллиника и Антиоха I Теоса: историко-археологическое исследование](https://www.mithraeum.eu/album/post/4e236584d80c1fe0.jpg)
arar.sci.amԱրտաշատ II - Pan-Armenian Digital LibraryNasza Biblioteka Cyfrowa is... Here put the description for the main page matadata, visible e.g. when sharing on Facebook.
![The Bull’s Head from Garni
Now for something more interesting: a relatively new and rarely mentioned artifact - the marble bull’s head from Garni, about which very little information is available. I will refer to the official channel of the Historical Monuments Preservation Service:
[One of the exceptional artifacts held in the collections of the State National Cultural Organization “Service for the Protection of the Historical Environment and Historical-Cultural Museums and Reserves” is a marble bull’s head discovered several years ago in the Garni Gorge.
After Christianity was proclaimed the state religion in Armenia in 301, although the fortresses and defensive complexes remained intact, pagan places of worship were razed to the ground. Only in a few places were some temples adapted to the new religion and rebuilt as Christian sanctuaries.
The Garni Temple is an exception, as it has been preserved in its original form and was used as a secular building. According to the account of Movses Khorenatsi, the “father of Armenian historiography” (presumably born around 410—died in 490), the Garni Temple was converted into the summer residence of Khosrovadukht, the sister of King Trdat III.
Followers of the new religion smashed to pieces and threw into the gorge the marble statue of Mithra, the sun god and bull-fighter, which had been installed in the apse.
Centuries later, during excavations near the temple, a bull’s hoof carved from white marble was discovered, which, according to experts, was part of this sculptural group. Two other fragments—a marble bull’s head and a fragment of the sculptural group’s pedestal—were discovered by chance in 2011 on a steep slope of the gorge.]
Source: [ref:6a9da5cce342f]](https://www.mithraeum.eu/album/post/b52d0a7b17185ac6.jpg)
facebook.com«Գառնի» պատմամշակութային արգելոց-թանգարան / Garni Templehttps://www.facebook.com/149391158512910/posts/3017610305024300/
![[ref:6a5fb16eaa410]](https://www.mithraeum.eu/album/member/daa81bf9c6eb61f5.jpg)
