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Monumentum

Tauroctony 593

This is the earliest sculpture of Mithras killing the bull known to date.
  • Mithras killing the bull, earliest representation known.

    Mithras killing the bull, earliest representation known.
    CIMRM 

  • The Trustees of the British Museum 

  • The Trustees of the British Museum 

  • Earliest known Tauroctony.

    Earliest known Tauroctony.
    The Trustees of the British Museum 

 
The New Mithraeum
2 May 2010
Updated on Sep 2023

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Statue of coarse grained marble (H. 0.78 Br. 1.07). At first in Rome, afterwards in the Townley Collection, nowadays British Museum.

Mithras, slaying the bull. Three ears come out from the wound, the dog and the serpent direct their heads towards them. Behind the bull, on the ground traces of the legs of a bird (probably the raven). The two torchbearers are standing behind the bull; their heads have got lost. Cautopates points his torch downwards with both hands; Cuates holds his r.h. against the bull's tail, holding a torch with his upraised l.h.

Restorations: upper part of Mithras'

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