Temple-front tauroctony from Tavalicavo

TNMM 2478 ↔ CIMRM 2244

Marble relief (H. 0.97 Br. 0.95 D. 0.08–0.09), found near the village of Tavalicavo (distr. Küstendil). Küstendil, Museum.

Kazarow in BSAB 1911, 48ff No. 1 and fig. 1; Saxl, fig. 96. See fig. 620.

The relief has the shape of a temple-front with two columns and a pediment. The capitals of the columns are decorated with fruit and leaves. In the centre is the representation of Mithras as a bullkiller; the heads of the god and of the bull are badly damaged. The dog, the serpent and the scorpion. The torchbearers are standing cross-legged and wear boots. Each holds a pedum against his l. shoulder, Cautes (r) raises the torch (partly lost) upwards; Cautopates (l) holds the torch downwards. Behind the latter the foremost part of a lion is visible. Above Cautopates are two scenes:

1) Mithras riding the bull.

2) Mithras taurophorus.

Above Cautes:

3) The bull in a small boat.

4) Mithras' rockbirth. He holds a torch in his upraised r.h. Between these scenes are seven stars.

In the pediment from l. to r.:

5) Mithras sitting on a rocky stone shoots the bow. Before him a kneeling person the r. who raises his hands up to his face. Behind Mithras a standing person who touches a column-like stone.

6) A small house with the bull.

7) A dog to the r.

In the akroteria: dressed bust of Sol (l) with a whip; the dressed bust of Luna (r) with a crescent behind her shoulders.

Between the pediment and the akroteria:

8) The raven under a row of seven altars (l).

9) Two persons with sticks walking behind each other. They are followed by a dog.

In the upper part of the relief from l. to r.:

10) Mithras putting his l.h. on the head of Sol who squats before him in a grotto. It seems that Mithras has a rhyton in his r.h.

11) Mithras and Sol reclining at the repast.

12) Sol in radiate crown helps Mithras to ascend a biga.

13) Naked bust of bearded Oceanus who holds a velum above his head. Under him waves.

I am grateful to the Fathers Damian Ivan Taleff Antonov and Ivan Michael Nicolov C.P. for their help in the translation of the Bulgarian texts.