CIMRM 321 - Grey marble tauroctony relief. Cortile of the Belvedere, Vatican, Italy.

A tauroctony relief, assembled from fragments, and embedded high up, in a wall in the Belvedere courtyard in the Vatican museums.

Comparing the Raddato picture with the CIMRM reference photo, the right-hand side (including Mithras) is the same; but the left hand fragment is not! I am unclear what has become of the left-hand fragment, or where the replacement came from.

CIMRM entry

321. Grey marble relief (H. 1.11 Br. 2.18), found by the English painter Fagan at Quadraro near Ostia at the end of the 18th cent. Walled in the Cortile of the Belvedere in the Vatican City. Formerly in two separate pieces, now joined. Massi, Ind. Ant., 211 ; Gerhard-Platner, 75 No. 567 and 126 n. 1; Lajard, Intr., Pl. LXXVIII, 1; MMM 11 212 No. 32 with fig. 40 and 245 No. 85 with fig. 78; Amelung, Skulpt. Vat., I (4), 692 No. 569 and Taf. 74 and 11(2),309 No. 102 with Taf. 26; Paschetto, Ostia, 388 fig. 15; Saki, 29 and fig. 84. See fig. 88 with kind permission of the Director of the Vatican Museums, Barone B. Nogara. In a cave the representatiqn of Mithras as a bullkiller in Eastern attire. The animal's tail is ending in three ears. On Mithras' flying cloak seven stars are visible; beside his head more stars are represented. The raven is perched on a branch; the other animals are on the usual places. Cautes (r) and Cautopates (l) in Eastern attire, cross-legged. Around the main scene several other representations are visible. Beginning above Cautes and then further on in a circle: Right 1) Mithras carries on his shoulders a bull which is still alive. 2) Standing Mithras crowns with his l.h. Sol, who. is kneeling down in front of him and grasps Mithras' arm with his r.h. What Mithras holds down in his r.h. is not clear. 3) In the upper corner the head of Luna with crescent on her forehead. Left 1) In the upper corner the bust of Sol in radiate crown and flying chlamys. Mithras looks back to him. 2) A tree with two branches, one of which only bears leaves. On the other the raven is perched. 3) A dagger sticking in the ground. Next to it a god is lying, wrapped in a mantle, which leaves the chest uncovered. Above his r.h. a harpè (Saturnus). He has pulled the cloak over his head. He leans his head in his l.h. 4) Another tree with two branches, one of which only bears leaves. From the other dangles a Phrygian cap. On the relief numerous traces of red painting are preserved, especially on Mithras' and Cautopates' clothes.