Tauroctony relief from Oltenia

TNMM 2557 ↔ CIMRM 2180

Relief in limestone (H. 0.315 Br. 0.39–0.34 D. 0.07). Bucarest, National Museum (Coll. C. Bolliac), Inv. No. 678.

The find-spot of this monument and the following is unknown. Cezar Bolliac travelled to Moldavia, Walachya, Oltenia and Dobroudja several times between 1845–1876. In his notes about Dobroudja these monuments are not mentioned; the two former countries are poor in archaeological material, so that Tudor (p. 408) supposes the monuments to originate from Oltenia. According to Cumont they certainly come from Walachya.

MMM II 274 No. 131; Tudor in Dacia IX–X, 1941–1944, 418 No. 20 and fig. 13; Tudor, Oltenia, 311 and fig. 77. See fig. 593.

Mithras as a bullkiller in a grotto. The buffalo-like bull wears a belt. The raven is perched on the rocky border; the dog holds its head near the wound; no scorpion. Both torchbearers hold their torches upwards; they are cross-legged. Outside the grotto the busts of Sol (l) and of Luna (r). Underneath the main scene and divided from it by a horizontal rim is a lion walking to the r. towards a serpent. The reverse of the relief is rough.