Tauroctony with belted bull from Sarmizegetusa

TNMM 1898 ↔ CIMRM 2043

The lower part of a white relief in limestone (H. 0.36 Br. 0.53 D. 0.135).

Studniczka, 212ff No. 27; Kiraly, 60f No. 145 and Pl. XXII; MMM II 292 No. 163 and fig. 146. See fig. 537.

Mithras as a bullkiller. Preserved: the bull with belt, but without head or tail; the forefeet of the dog; the feet of the r. torchbearer. Underneath the main scene is a horizontal border on which the serpent and the scorpion are represented between a row of seven altars. A reclining figure on the r. who rests his r.h. on his knee and who holds an oblong object in his l.h. (Oceanus).

Underneath the border from l. to r.:

1) Mithras holds an object with his r.h. above the head of Sol who was probably kneeling before him. Mithras' legs and lower part of Sol got lost.

2) Sol and Mithras at the repast behind a small square table. Sol raises up his r.h.

3) A lion above a vase.

4) Sol and Mithras ascending.