Tauroctony from the Mithraeum III of Nida

TNMM 407 ↔ CIMRM 1118

Discovered at the end of 1886, Mithraeum Ill at Nida was an independent structure located in the civil part of the urban area. On the floor of the rectangular spelaeum (10.55 × 5.50 m), at a depth of aproximately three metres, there came to light on 20 January 1887 the upper part of the relief, and then, four days later, the lower part and other stone objects. Exhibited at the Museum für heimische Vor- und Frühgeschichte established in the old Dominican monastery beginning in 1937, the relief was destroyed during the 18 March 1944 air raid on Frankfurt's city centre. Thirty- seven fragments of the relief, for the most part non-joining and significantly reddened in places from the bombing, were recovered in 1952 in the ruins of the monastery. Partially restored from the preserved elements, the relief was presented to the public for the first time on 22 September 1986.

The relief, which originally was placed in the large niche constructed at the back of the spelaeum, is incomplete. Its framing, with side walls and an arch in the upper part, perhaps featuring panelled scenes, has not been found. Only the central part is preserved, with the killing of the bull by Mithras, who buries his knife in the animal's side while mastering it by grabbing its nostrils with his left hand. The representation of the bull, with its front legs raised and folded, gives the impression of movement. Its tail, standing before Mithras's mantle, ends in ears of grain. Mithras wears a short tunic with long sleeves, tight and belted. His head is turned to face the viewer. The top of the relief, including the Phrygian cap, is missing. A scorpion clings to the bull's testicles; a serpent positions its head on a large crater with two handles, to the right of which there lies a lion with a bristling mane; a dog rises towards the wound in order to lick up the blood that flows from it. On the upper-left edge of the relief, above the mantle flowing behind Mithras, there appears the head of a raven which is missing its body. The scene is flanked by Cautes on the right, with a raised torch, and Cautopates on the left, with a lowered torch. They both have their legs crossed and are wearing Phrygian caps.