Tauroctony relief with belted bull from Sárkeszi

TNMM 1794 ↔ CIMRM 1815

Circular plate in white marble (diam. 0.25 D. 0.015–0.017); in five fragments.

Nagy, 108ff and fig. 8. See fig. 469.

Inside a laurel-wreath an open-work sculpture representing Mithras as a bullkiller. Only part of the bull's body, the foremost part of the leaping dog, part of Mithras' tunic and the upper part of his undressed legs are preserved. From other fragments we know that Cautes (r) and Cautopates (l) were represented: Cautes holds a bow in his l.h.; Cautopates is cross-legged. Underneath the bull and between the dog through a horizontal rim a small part of the serpent is visible.

The central scene is surrounded by a series of smaller representations which are divided from each other by rims: 1) Behind Cautes seven altars placed in two rows above each other. Above them a lying bull to the r., no house. 2) Reclining god in a long cloak who supports his head with his r.h.; the greater part of his head is lost (Oceanus or Saturnus). 3) Mithras' rockbirth. In his r.h. a torch and in his l.h. a dagger. 4) Part of Mercury. 5) Lost. Probably the Olympian gods. 6) Part of a small boat and the tail of the bull. 7) Mithras shoots an arrow in the direction of a rock before which a person kneels. Behind the god a second person in Oriental dress. 8) Mithras taurophorus. 9) Mithras riding the bull; he grasps him by the dew-lap with his r.h. The bull turns the head to the r. 10) The foremost part of a leaping lion to the r. 11) Man with upraised hands walking to the r. 12) Sol kneeling before Mithras. Mithras walks to the r. and holds a curved object (piece of meat) above the head of Sol. 13) Sol and Mithras at the sacred repast. The figure of Mithras is for the greater part lost. 14) Lost. 15) Lost. Probably Mithras' ascension.

Nagy is of the opinion that the relief was made at Sirmium in the third cent. A.D.