CIMRM 1579 - Fragment of relief, Pettau / Ptuj III, Slovenia.

1579. Fragments of a marble relid (H. 0.41-0.55 Br. 0.56-0.74 D. 0.09), found near 1. Abramic, Führer, 176ff No. 239, 240 and fig. 124; Saria in Sbornik za Umetn. Zgod. XII, 1933, 76ff; Saxl, 84f and fig. 189. See fig. 400. Mithras as a bullkiller in the usnal dress and attitude (Inv. No. 300). Only the sheath of the god's dagger is preserved with the foremost part of the bull's body with the dagger in it. The serpent and the dog in the usual place. From the r. corner it is possible to conclude that the main scene took place in a grotto and that the torchbearers were also represented, as a torchbearer's head with the upper part of his pedum or bow has been preserved. Outside the grotto's border there are the following scenes (Inv. No. 299): 1) Standing Mithras in Oriental dress gives Sol an object which seems to be a piece of bull's meat. He grasps Sol's right hand. 2) The upper part of kneeling Sol. Mithras grasps Sol's head with his l.h. In his upraised r.h. Mithras holds an object which probably is a piece of meat. Mithras' legs are lost. Above these two scenes which were represented side by side one sees: 3) Sitting bearded deity with uncovered breast. He holds in his l.h. a staff and he rests his r.h. on his knee. He sits on a rocky stone (Saturnus) and Mithras approaches him with his forefinger at his mouth. 4) Naked Sol with shoulder-cape standing in a quadriga. He helps Mithras to ascend. Sol has uplifted r.h. and has a crown of eleven rays around his curly hair. Mithras is in Oriental dress and has a dagger in his l.h. The heads of the horses are lost. In the upper r. side the feet of a horse and a wheel of the car are visible.