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Monumentum

Rock-cut tauroctony from Cavtat

Tauroctony relief carved directly into the rock of the Mithraeum on the Colle S. Giorgio near Cavtat, ancient Epidaurum in Dalmatia; the composition includes Sol, Luna, Cautes, and Cautopates flanking the central scene.
 
The New Mithraeum
28 May 2026

TNMM 2393 ↔ CIMRM 1883

Relief (H. 0.50 Br. 0.80) carved out in the rock of a Mithraeum which "stands on the Colle S. Giorgio that overlooks the site of Epidaurum on the land side:" Sv. Juraj near Močiči. The relief has now been taken down from the wall and is at Cavtat, Municipal Museum.

A. J. Evans in Archaeologia XLVIII, 1884, 19f; Through Bosnia and the Herzegovina, 387; v. Schneider in AEMO IX, 1885, 81; MMM II 334f and 502 No. 233; Grabičević in AJ I 1954, 37 No. 19 and fig. 3.

The rocky wall in which the relief was carved out probably was the backwall of the Mithraeum of which no more traces are extant. Two square altars in rocky stone were found again.

The relief has a representation of Mithras as a bullkiller. Cautes (r) and Cautopates (l) are cross-legged and hold the torches with two hands. The relief is badly weathered but vague outlines suggest the busts of Luna (r) and of Sol (l). Of the animals no traces. Three coins (Aurelianus, Constantius Chlorus and Constantius II) were discovered in a fissure of the rock under the relief.

References

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