Tauroctony relief from Villa Borghese

TNMM 672 ↔ CIMRM 586

White marble relief (H. 1.63 Br. 1.87 D. 0.23-Q.35). At first in Rome, Villa Borghese; nowadays Paris, Louvre, Inv. No. 1024. Probably third century A.D.

In a rocky cave Mithras as a bullkiller: The god’s face has an expression of effort or grief. The dog and the serpent are present; the torchbearers and the scorpion are lacking. Three holes in the cave above Mithras’ cloak may have served for fastening the raven. In the upper corners Sol’s head (l) and Luna’s head in crescent.

Restorations: Mithras’ r. arm, l.h., wrist, neck and part of his cloak; the bull’s head and part of its r. horn; the dog except the forelegs; the serpent’s head; the heads of Sol and Luna; parts of the cave.