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Monumentum

Tauroctony relief from Naples

This marble tauroctony relief, probably originating from Naples, depicts Mithras slaying the bull within a cave-like setting, accompanied by the usual animals and celestial busts.
Tauroctony relief from Naples.

Tauroctony relief from Naples.
CIMRM

 
The New Mithraeum
18 May 2026

TNMM 889 ↔ CIMRM 173

Greyish marble relief (H. 0.84 Br. 0.99 D. 0.07), probably from Naples. Bought by Cumont in 1896 at Rome and presented to the Musée de Cinquantenaire at Brussels in 1912 (Inv. No. 58/A 1940).

The relief, as it is proved by the fastening holes, was fixed into a wall. Usual representation of Mithras as a bullkiller. R.h. and dagger lost. The tail of the animal ends in three ears. The raven on the rock; dog (with necklace) and snake with their heads near the wound; the scorpion at the testicles. Torchbearers are missing. In the r. upper corner the bust of Luna with crescent on her front; the l. corner with Sol has been restored. An irregular working of the relief’s background suggests the vault of a cave.

References

MMM II 486 No. 94bis and fig. 419; Cumont, Cat. Cinq., 74 No. 58 with fig. on which the left upper corner has been supplied. Fig. 48 kindly procured by the Direction.

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