Tauroctony from Sî`
TNMM 389 ↔ CIMRM 88
A rectangular relief in basalt (H. 0.72 Br. 0.68 D. 0.10). Preserved in the Museum at Damascus. Found at Sî (Djebel Druze) in front of the temple of Doushara or Dusares.
Mithras tauroctone in usual attire and Phrygian cap. Scorpion and snake near the genitals of the bull; dog leaping up; the raven on the flying cloak of the god. Behind the bull Cautes is standing with upraised torch. The upper corners are occupied by the busts of Sol(l) with a crown of six (originally seven) rays around his head and of Luna(r) with crescent behind her shoulders. Remarkable is, that the bull’s tail is not pointing upwards, but droops down.
CIMRM II 88
Preserved in the Museum at Damascus (Inv. No. 39). Mr. S. Abdul Hak, General Director of the Antiquities in Syria was so kind to send a better copy of this interesting monument (See fig. 244 = fig. 33). Published also by Sourdel, Hauran, 93.
References
Butler in Syria, 399 and fig. 344B; Frothingham in AJA 1918, 54ff and Pl. III (see fig. 33)2; Cumont in RHR LXXVIII, 1918, 207ff; Watzinger-Wulzinger, 109 No. 7 and fig. 75; Will in Syria XXIX, 1952, 67f; Berytus XI, 1954, Pl. II, 1; Abdul-Hak, 64 and Pl. XXVII, 2.
- Vermaseren, Maarten Jozef (1956) Corpus Inscriptionum et Monumentorum Religionis Mithriacae
