Tauroctony from Sisak
TNMM 366 ↔ CIMRM 1472
Relief in sandstone (H. 0.33 Br. 0.50 D. 0.03) in seven fragments. Found in Sisak = Sisku. Zagreb, Arch. Museum, Depots.
Mithras tauroctone in usual attitude and dress. Parts of the god's head and cloak and his r.h. are lost. Of the bull only the head and the hind part are preserved. The scorpion and the tail of the snake are visible. On either side a torchbearer,
crosslegged. Both hold their torches upwards. The raven sits on Mithras' cloak. The scene is encircled by a rim on which the signs of the zodiac are represented. From the r. bottom snbsequently: Fishes-Ram-Bull-Twins-the Crab is missing-then on the l. side Lion-Virgin-Wega-Scorpion-the other three are lost.
In the l. upper corner part of the dressed bust of Sol.
Beneath it:
1) Mithras taurophorus. Head lost.
2) Mithras riding the bull, which he grasps by the nostrils with his r.h. and which he takes by a horn with his l.h. In the r. upper corner the dressed bust of Luna with a crescent behind the shoulders.
Underneath it:
3) Naked Mithras being born from the rock. In his l.h. a torch; in the r.h. a knife.
4) Reclining bearded Saturnus whose breast is uncovered. He holds a hamatus ensis in his uplifted r.h. The feet are missing.
References
E. Loewy in AEMO 1879, 169f; 1. v. Bojnicic in Kroatische Revue II 1886, 141f; MMM II 325 No. 220 and fig. 192; J. Brunsmid in Vjesnik VIII 1905, 62 No. 121 with fig. I am very grateful to the Director of the Museum in Zagreb, Dr. Z. Vinski and his wife for the information and for the permission to take photographs of all the Mithraic monuments. See fig. 375.
