Tauroctony relief from Bessapara

TNMM 2540 ↔ CIMRM 2331

Marble relief (H. 0.30 Br. 0.60) the upper part of which is broken off. Its provenance is Elli Dere (Wétran-Dol) near Tatar-Basardjik. Sofia, National Museum.

Dumont-Homolle, Mél. Arch., 325 No. 11; Dobrusky in Sbornik XI, 1894, 31 No. 4; MMM II 271 and 488 No. 122 and fig. 421; Saxl, fig. 94; LeRoy Campbell in Berytus XI, 1954, 51 No. 432. See fig. 647.

In the centre of the relief and in a rectangular border is the representation of Mithras as a bullkiller. The serpent, the scorpion and the dog(?). The raven as well as Mithras' flying cloak are lost.

On the l. of this scene: Mithras puts his l.h. on the head of Sol who kneels before him and lifts both hands up to him. Mithras is in Oriental dress and holds an object in his upraised r.h.

On the r. of the main scene: Mithras riding the bull, which he holds by one of the horns.

Under the main scene from l. to r.:

1) A lion leaping towards a krater standing on a base.

2) Mithras and Sol reclining behind a tripod.

3) Sol in a biga helps Mithras to ascend it.