Tauroctony from the Cortile del Belvedere

TNMM 363 ↔ CIMRM 321

Grey marble relief (H. 1.11 Br. 2.18), found by the English painter Fagan at Quadraro near Ostia at the end of the 18th cent.

Walled in the Cortile of the Belvedere in the Vatican City. Formerly in two separate pieces, now joined.

In a cave the representatiqn of Mithras as a bullkiller in Eastern attire. The animal's tail is ending in three ears. On Mithras' flying cloak seven stars are visible; beside his head more stars are represented. The raven is perched on a branch; the other animals are on the usual places. Cautes (r) and Cautopates (l) in Eastern attire, cross-legged. Around the main scene several other representations are visible.

Beginning above Cautes and then further on in a circle:

Right
1) Mithras carries on his shoulders a bull which is still alive.
2) Standing Mithras crowns with his l.h. Sol, who is kneeling down in front of him and grasps Mithras' arm with his r.h. What Mithras holds down in his r.h. is not clear.
3) In the upper corner the head of Luna with crescent on her forehead.

Left
1) In the upper corner the bust of Sol in radiate crown and flying chlamys. Mithras looks back to him.
2) A tree with two branches, one of which only bears leaves. On the other the raven is perched.
3) A dagger sticking in the ground. Next to it a god is lying, wrapped in a mantle, which leaves the chest uncovered. Above his r.h. a harpè (Saturnus). He has pulled the cloak over his head. He leans his head in his l.h.
4) Another tree with two branches, one of which only bears leaves. From the other dangles a Phrygian cap.

On the relief numerous traces of red painting are preserved, especially on Mithras' and Cautopates' clothes.

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As Roger Pearse points out in Tertullian.org, the left side of the relief in the Vermaseren CIMRM illustration is different from the actual relief on display in the Cortile del Belvedere.

CIMRM II 321

Quadraro is not in the immediate neighbourhood of Ostia, but is situated on the Via Tusculana to Monte Porzio (observation of my friend Dr. C. C. van Essen).