Tauroctony lower panel from Sinitovo

TNMM 2541 ↔ CIMRM 2334

The lower part of a marble relief (H. 0.38 Br. 0.72 D. 0.13) discovered in 1936 at Sinitovo where the relief was walled in in a well of the Apostolov family. Sinitovo is situated 8 kms south-east of Tatar-Bazardjik. Sofia, National Museum.

Ch. Danoff in Germania 1936, 189ff and fig. 1. See fig. 649.

The relief is badly weathered. The r. hind leg of the bull and the tail of the serpent are the only visible traces of the representation of Mithras tauroctone.

Under it from l. to r.:

1) Mithras emerges from the rock with uplifted hands.

2) A large krater the handles of which form a crescent. Above it the foremost part of a lion in profile.

3) A bearded person rests his r.h. on a large vase from which water pours forth (Oceanus). With his other hand he holds a tree, the top of which ends in five branches.

4) Mithras sitting in a chair puts his l.h. on the head of Sol who kneels before him. He holds an object (piece of meat?) in his upraised r.h.

5) Standing person in short tunic and shoulder-cape. He holds a round object (crown?) in his raised hands.

6) Sol helps Mithras ascending his biga.

In a border under the preceding scenes between two groups of respectively four and three altars is an inscription: