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Monumentum

Tauroctony from the Mithräum von Heddernheim

This relief is so well-known that it has been reproduced in nearly every handbook of archaeology and of history of religions.
  • Tauroctonia del Mitreo de Heddernheim

    Tauroctonia del Mitreo de Heddernheim
    dierk schaefer 

  • Front view

    Front view
    Tertullian.org 

  • Rear view

    Rear view
    Tertullian.org 

  • Pivoting view

    Pivoting view
    Demasy Roger 

 
The New Mithraeum
7 May 2010
Updated on Sep 2023

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Relief in sandstone (H. 1.80 Br. 1.76 D. 0.22). Inv. No. 239.

The relief is sculpted on two sides and it is revolving because it has a pivot at the top and a socket at the bottom.AThe front has the usual scene of Mithras as the bullkiller in a grotto. The bull's tail ends in three corn-ears. The raven sits on the god's flying cloak; the dog with a collar leaps up against the bull and the scorpion grasps its genitals. Underneath the bull is an amphora or krater with two handles with a serpent coiling against it. To its right is a lion with menacing head. Cautes (r) with uplifted torch and

Related monuments

Mithraea of Heddernheim

Since 1826, four mithraea have been found at Nida-Heddernheim.

Aion of Hedderneheim

The lion-headed statue of Hedderneheim is a reconstruction from fragments of two different sculptures.

Aion from Nida

This lion-headed figure from Nida, present-day Frankfurt-Heddernheim, holds a key and a shovel in his hands.

Altar with Mithras rock-birth of Nida

The Mithraic stele from Nida depicts the Mithras Petrogenesis and the gods Cautes, Cautopates, Heaven and Ocean.

 

Key of Mithraeum III at Nida

The key of Nida's Mithraeum III was decorated with a lion's head.

Tauroctony from the Mithraeum III of Nida

The relief of Mithras slaying the bull from Nida's Mithraeum III was found in two pieces in 1887, destroyed during an air raid on Frankfurt in 1944, and restored in 1986.

Cautes and Cautopates from Mithraeum III of Heddernheim

The two companions of Mithras carry a torch and a shepherd's staff at the third Mithraeum in Frankfurt-Heddernheim, formerly Nida.

Petrogeny with hand on head from Nida

This sculpture of Mithras being born from a rock is unique in the position of the hands.