CIMRM 2338. Tauroctony from Turowite nr. Kurtowo-Konare. Now at Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

540x720px. Taken by Pascal Lemaire.

CIMRM entry

Bulgaria.

2338. Marble relief (H. 0.51 Br. 0.41 D. 0.05) sculptured in open-work. Found in May 1940 on the slope of a tumulus in the neighbourhood of Tirowite, 3,5 kms northeast of the village of Kurtowo-Konare (distr. Philippovtsi-Plovdiv). Plovdiv, National Museum.

Zontschew in AA 1942, 59ff and fig. 13. See fig. 650.

The relief is arched and has akroteria at its corners. There are traces of red colour. In the centre Mithras as a bullkiller; he wears a sheath at his girdle. Dog, snake, scorpion and raven in the usual places. With the l.h. Cautes holds a pedum against his l. shoulder; he raises a burning torch in his r.h. He is standing crosslegged. Cautopates stretches his r.h. out towards the bull's tail and with his other hand he probably holds a pedum against his shoulder; he is not cross-legged. Both torchbearers are in Oriental dress. Above Cautes (r) a representation of Mithras' rockbirth. In his upraised hands he holds a torch (r.h.) and a knife (l.h.). Behind Cantopates are two scenes above each other; Mithras riding the bull and Mithras taurophorus. The upper part of the relief is separated from its centre by a border decorated with leaves and with eight altars.

In this part from l. to r. :

1) Dressed bust of Sol. Under him a row of three altars.
2) Mithras sitting on a rocky stone shoots an arrow towards a rock before which a person kneels down. With both hands he catches the water flowing from the rock. Behind him another person, who touches him with his r.h.
3) Three persons standing in a row; the first one is completely naked (Mercury) ; next to him Mars, who holds a shield in his l.h. and a lance in his r.h.; standing bearded Jupiter dressed in a mantle which, however, does not cover his breast. He holds a long staff in his l.h.
4) Lying ram to the l. Above it the bull in a small boat.
5) Standing person holds his hands against a column-like rocky stone.
6) Bearded person lying on a rock (Oceanus). Ouly the lower part of his body is wrapped in a mantle. He holds a staff in his hand.
7) Above him a dressed bust of Luna with crescent behind her shoulders.

In the lower part of the relief there are other scenes separated from each other by vertical rims:

8) Lying lion turning its head.
9) Standing Mithras with outstretched hands with which he touches two vertical rims.
10) Mithras puts his r.h. on the head of Sol who kneels before him.
11) Mithras and Sol at the repast.
12) Mithras ascending Sol's car. Under one of the uplifted forefeet of the horse a large rhyton with water flowing from it. Above it the bust of a person in long hair and in beard (Oceanus).