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Monumentum

Tauroctony lower portion from Sarmizegetusa

Two sandstone tauroctony relief fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower right portion of the bull-slaying scene.
Tauroctony lower portion from Sarmizegetusa
Tauroctony lower portion from SarmizegetusaCIMRM
 
The New Mithraeum
27 May 2026

TNMM 1919 ↔ CIMRM 2066

Two fragments of a relief in sandstone (H. 0.183–0.225 Br. 0.622 D. 0.034).

Studniczka, 210 No. 19; Kiraly, 41 No. 113 and Pl. XII, 4; MMM II 287 No. 153 and fig. 136; LeRoy Campbell in Berytus XI, 1954, 46 No. 88. See fig. 552.

The lower part of the representation of Mithras as a bullkiller: the r. foot of the god; the bull's body without the head; the dog and the serpent; no scorpion is visible. Behind Cautopates (l) the head and the forefeet of a bull (Mithras taurophorus), behind Cautes (r) a krater with crescent-shaped handles. Above it a lion's head. The torchbearers are cross-legged.

In the bottom border an inscription:

References

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Two greyish marble fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the torso of Mithras in tunic and cloak killing the bull with his right hand.

Bull's muzzle fragments from Sarmizegetusa

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Inscription fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Fragmentary inscription from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, partially illegible.

Round-framed tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Five fragments of a whitish-yellow marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, with the central bull-slaying framed by a round border and the dagger of Mithras clearly visible.

Large tauroctony relief from Sarmizegetusa

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Rectangular tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Rectangular white marble tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, depicting Mithras killing the bull with dog, serpent, and scorpion.

 

Bull hindquarter and altar fragment from Sarmizegetusa

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Bull's tail and cloak fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Greyish marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bull's tail and part of Mithras's flying cloak.

Mithras head in Phrygian cap from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble relief fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Mithras in Phrygian cap.

Bent arm fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving part of a bent arm, possibly from a tauroctony scene.

 

Tauroctony with Cautes from Sarmizegetusa

Foremost part of a white marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, showing the badly weathered bull-slaying with cross-legged Cautes raising the torch with both hands.

Tauroctony with rock-birth above Cautes from Sarmizegetusa

Upper portion of a vaulted marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, with the bull-slaying and above Cautes a scene of Mithras's rock-birth; Sol and Luna busts appear in the upper corners.

Cross-legged torchbearer from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a large marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing cross-legged torchbearer; head, arms, and legs below the knees are lost.

Lower torchbearer from Sarmizegetusa

Left lower corner of a marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower part of a cross-legged torchbearer in a short belted and fringed tunic.

 

Bull's head and dagger fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the neck and head of the bull together with Mithras's dagger.

Torchbearer torso with downward torch from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bust of a person in a tunic with a right arm and hand holding a torch pointed downward.

Bull and dagger detail from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving small parts of the bull and Mithras's dagger.

Standing figure in tunic from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing person in a tunic; head, arms, and legs are lost.

 

Sheath and tunic fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the sheath and part of Mithras's tunic with traces of red colour.

Three mantle fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Three marble fragments of a mantle from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, probably belonging to the flying cloak of Mithras.

Bull's head fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Two marble fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, one preserving the head of the bull and another the bull's ear.

Coiling serpent fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a coiling serpent without its head.

 

Dog's hindquarters from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the hindmost part of the dog.

Cautes head and torch top from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Cautes in Phrygian cap and part of his torch.

Torchbearer mid-body from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the middle part of a torchbearer from the armpit to the knees.

Cautopates with downward torch from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the middle part of Cautopates holding a downward torch in his left hand.

 

Sol and Mithras upper corner from Sarmizegetusa

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Sol bust with Mithras riding from Sarmizegetusa

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Sol with Mithras sitting from Sarmizegetusa

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Sol and Phrygian figure from Sarmizegetusa

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Lion hind leg and serpent from Sarmizegetusa

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Multi-scene marble relief from Sarmizegetusa

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Fine Mithras head from Sarmizegetusa

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Mithras head with torchbearer shoulder from Sarmizegetusa

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Kneeling figure leg from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower part of a leg and the left leg of a kneeling figure.

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Sitting lion from Sarmizegetusa

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Tauroctony relief from Lugoj collection

White marble tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, now in the Lugoj collection; the right lower corner is broken off and the scene depicts the standard bull-slaying.

 
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