CIMRM Supplement - Marble relief tauroctony with acanthus-leaf border. Unknown provenance.

Relief with acanthus leaf border. From Rupert Wace Ancient Art.


Marble relief panel, showing Mithras tauroctonos. 2-3rd century. 84.5 x 127.5 cm. Offered for sale by Rupert Wace Ancient Art in London in July 2014. Of unknown origin.

Mithras in the usual position for the tauroctony, complete with scorpion, dog and snake in the usual places. A bust of Sol with rayed crown atop a rocky area. One ray of the crown extends, and touches Mithras' cloak. Under Sol, the raven stands on the rock. Beneath the rock is Cautopates, but legs not crossed, torch down. On the top right is Luna with her crescent, above a similar rock. Under that is Cautes with torch uplifted, legs again not crossed. Eyes of the figures have been drilled.

The following details were supplied by Claire E Brown, Associate Director, Rupert Wace Ancient Art, by email, in May 2014.

"I attach here a report written on the piece for us by Sadie Pickup and it has also been published by Manfred Clauss, in his recent book, 'Mithras. Kult und Mysterium', 2012, p.91."

Clauss' work gives no additional info, but does include an illustration.


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