Tauroctony Relief from Dardagan Revisited / Nova interpretacija tauroktonije iz Dardagana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54524/2490-3930.2023.193Keywords:
Dardagan, Sirmium, Roman province of Dalmatia, quarry, tauroctony, the cult of Mithras, sculpture workshop, mithraeum, iconographyAbstract
This paper examines the tauroctony relief from the village Dardagan, near Zvornik (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and proposes a new interpretation of the monument. Contrary to previous views, which deemed the relief as a primitive work executed by an unskilled sculptor, the careful analysis of its stylistic, compositional, and iconographic features, as argued in the paper, reveals its semi-finished nature. Since the existence of the workshop at the quarry in Dardagan was recently proven, the tauroctony relief is interpreted as its product. Moreover, it is the sole evidence that, besides funerary monuments and architectural elements, the workshop also produced votive images for specific cults. The tauroctony from Dardagan represents a unique instance of a semi finished Mithraic sculpture discovered at its production site within the Roman province of Dalmatia. Furthermore, an examination of archaeological reports and original photographs of Milica Kosorić allowed for a better understanding of the context of the tauroctony’s discovery, providing new insights into the small finds and rock-carved figures so far associated with the cult. It is argued that these finds cannot be linked to the cult of Mithras and that the existence of the mithraeum at the site remains hypothetical.
References
Adrych 2017 – P. Adrych, Patrons and Viewers: Dura-Europos, in: P. Adrych, R. Bracey, D. Dalglish, S. Lenk, R. Wood, Images of Mithra, Visual Conversations in Art and Archaeology 1, Oxford University Press, 2017, 37–60.
Arnhold 2018, M. Arnhold, Imagining Mithras in Light of Iconographic Standardization and Individual Accentuation, in: M. Arnhold, H. O. Maier, J. Rüpke (eds.), Seeing the God. Image, Space, Performance, and Vision in the Religion of the Roman
Empire, Mohr Siebeck, 2020, 125–147.
Berndt Ersöz 2018 – S. Berndt Ersöz, The hand gesture and symbols of Sabazios, Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome 11, 2018, 151–168.
Bojanovski 1967a – I. Bojanovski, Iz rada Arheološkog referata zavoda. Bilješke iz arheologije II, Naše starine. Godišnjak za zaštitu spomenika kulture Bosne i Hercegovine 11, 1967, 187–196.
Bojanovski 1967b – I. Bojanovski, Rimski kameni spomenici iz Rogatice, Naše starine. Godišnjak za zaštitu spomenika kulture Bosne i Hercegovine 11, 1967, 143–164.
Bojanovski 1981 – I. Bojanovski, Prilozi za topografiju rimskih i predrimskih komunikacija i naselja u rimskoj provinciji Dalmaciji (s posebnim obzirom na područje Bosne i Hercegovine), Godišnjak 19, Centar za balkanološka ispitivanja, 125–198.
Bricault, Roy 2021 – L. Bricault, P. Roy (eds.), Les cultes de Mithra dans l’Empire romain, Amphi 7, Presses universitaires du Midi, 2021.
Bricault, Veymiers, Amoroso 2021 – L. Bricault, R. Veymiers, N. Amoroso (eds.), The Mystery of Mithras. Exploring the Heart of a Roman Cult, Musée Royal de Mariemont, 2021.
Campbell 1954 – L. A. Campbell, A Typology of Mithraic Tauroctones, Berytus 11, 1954, 3–60.
De Jong 1997 – A. De Jong, A New Syrian Mithraic “Tauroctony”, Bulletin of the Asia
Institute 11, 1997, 53–63.
Dirven 2016 – L. Dirven, The Problem with Parthian Art at Dura, in T. Kaizer (ed.), Religion, Society and Culture at Dura-Europos, Yale Classical Studies 38, Cambridge University Press, 2016, 68–88.
Dirven, McCarty 2020 – L. Dirven. M. McCarty, Rethinking the Dura-Europos Mithraeum. Diversification and Stabilization in a Mithraic Community, in: M. McCarty, M. Egri (eds.), The Archaeology of Mithraism. New Finds and Approaches to Mithras-Worship, BABESCH Annual Papers on Mediterranean Archaeology. Supplement 39, 2020, 165–181.
Djurić 2019 – B. Djurić, The Logistics behind Ancient Art. The Case of Noricum and Pannoniae, in: B. Porod, P. Scherrer (eds.), Akten des 15. Internationalen Kolloquiums zum Provinzialrömischen Kunstschaffen. Der Stifter und sein Monument. Gesselschaft Ikonographie – Chronologie, 14. bis 20. Juni 2017 Graz/Austria, Universalmuseum Joanneum 2019, 8–38.
Djurić et al. 2006 – B. Djurić, J. Davidović, A. Maver, H. W. Müller, Stone use in Roman towns. Resources, transport, products and clients. Case study Sirmium. First report, Starinar 56, 2006, 103–137.
Djurić et al. 2007 – B. Djurić, J. Davidović, A. Maver, I. Rižnar, Stone use in Roman towns. Resources, transport, products and clients. Case study Sirmium. Second report, Starinar 57, 2007, 83–100.
Djurić et al. 2012 – B. Djurić, A. Maver, I. Rižnar, D. Jovanović, J. Davidović, Sirmium’s main limestone quarry at Dardagani (Bosnia and Herzegovina), in: A. G. Garcia-M., P. Lapuente, I. Rodà, Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone. Proceedings
of the IX ASMOSIA Conference (Tarragona 2009), Documenta 23, Institut Català d’Arqueologia Clàssica, 2012, 471–479.
Faraone 2018 – C. A. Faraone, The Transformation of Greek Amulets in Roman Imperial Times, Empire and After, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018.
Ferjančić, Vujović, Davidović 2016 – S. Ferjančić, M. Vujović, J. Davidović, New Inscriptions from Sirmium, Zeitschrift für papyrologie und Epigraphik 198, 2016, 299–304.
Gabričević 1954 – B. Gabričević, Iconographie de Mithra tauroctone danas la province romaine de Dalmatie, Archaeologia Iugoslavica 1, 1954, 37–52.
Gassner 2004 – V. Gassner, Snake Decorated Vessels from the canabae of Carnuntum. Evidence for Another Mithraeum?, in: M. Martens, D. de Boe (eds.), Roman Mithraism. The Evidence of the Small Finds, Archeologie in Vlaanderen Monografie 4,
Museum Het Toreke, 2004, 229-238.
Gordon 1980 – R. Gordon, Panelled Complications, Journal of Mithraic Studies 3, 1980, 200-227.
Gordon 1988 – R. Gordon, Authority, Salvation and Mystery in the Mysteries of Mithras, in: J. Huskinson, M. Beard, J.Reynolds (eds.), Image and Imagery in the Roman World. Three Papers Given in Memory of Jocelyn Toynbee, Alan Sutton, 1988,45–80.
Gordon 2001 – R. Gordon, Trajets de Mithras en Syrie romaine, Topoi. Orient-Occident 11/1, 2001, 77–136.
Gordon 2009 – R. Gordon, The Roman Army and the Cult of Mithras: A Critical Review, in: C. Wolff (ed.), L‘armée romaine et la religion sous le Haut-Empire romain. Actes du quatrième congrès de Lyon, 26-28 octobre 2006, De Boccard, 2009.
Gordon 2017 – R. Gordon, Persae in spelaeis solem colunt: Mithra(s) between Persia and Rome, in: R. Strootman, M. J. Versluys (eds.), Persianism in Antiquity, Oriens et Occidens 25, Franz Steiner Verlag, 2017, 289–325.
Hinnells 1976 – J. R. Hinnells, The Iconography of Cautes and Cautopates, Journal of Mithraic Studies 1, 1976, 36–67.
Huld-Zetsche 1986 – I. Huld-Zetsche, Mithras in Nida-Hedernheim: Gesmtkatalog. Archäologische Reihe VI, Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte, 1986.
Imamović 1977 – E. Imamović. Antički kultni i votivni spomenici na području Bosne i Hercegovine, Veselin Masleša, 1977.
Kaczor 2020 – A. Kaczor, Iconography or Function ? “Snake Technique” Pottery in Mithraic Cult, in: M. McCarty, M. Egri (eds.), The Archaeology of Mithraism. New Finds and Approaches to Mithras-Worship, BABESCH Annual Papers on Mediterranean Archaeology. Supplement 39, 2020, 191–195.
Karković Takalić 2019 – P. Karković Takalić, Razvoj misterijskih kultova u rimskoj provinciji Dalmaciji, Doktorska disertacija, University of Zadar, 2019.
Kosorić 1965 – M. Kosorić, Spomenik Mitrinog kulta iz okoline Zvornika, Članci i građa za kulturnu istoriju Istočne Bosne 6, 1965, 49–56.
Lipovac Vrkljan 2001 – G. Lipovac Vrkljan, Posebnosti tipologije i ikonografije mitrijskih reljefa rimske Dalmacije, Doktorska disertacija, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, 2001.
Lipovac Vrkljan 2005 – G. Lipovac Vrkljan, Some Examples of Local Production of Mithraic Reliefs from Roman Dalmatia, in: M. Sanader, A. Rendić-Miočević (eds.), Religija i mit kao poticaj rimskoj provincijalnoj plastici: Akti VIII. međunarodnog kolokvija o problemima rimskog provincijalnog umjetničkog stvaralaštva, 2005, 249–259.
Martens, Ervynck, Gordon 2020 – M. Martens, A. Ervynck, R. Gordon, The reconstruction of a banquet at the mithraeum of Tienen (Belgium). New data and interpretations, in: M. McCarty, M. Egri (eds.), The Archaeology of Mithraism. New Finds
and Approaches to Mithras-Worship, BABESCH Annual Papers on Mediterranean Archaeology. Supplement 39, 2020, 11–22.
Miletić 1996 – Ž. Miletić, Mitraizam u rimskoj provinciji Dalmaciji, Doktorska disertacija, Sveučilište u Zadru, 1996.
Noelke 2006 – P. Noelke, Bildhauerwerkstätten im römischen Germanien: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen ihres Nachweises, Bonner Jahrbücher 206, 2006, 87-144.
Orr 1978 – D. G. Orr, Roman Domestic Religion: The Evidence of the Household Shrines, in: H. Temporini, W. Haase (eds.), Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt/Rise and Decline of the Roman World, II, 16.2, 1557–1591.
Pašalić 1960 – E. Pašalić, Antička naselja i komunikacije u Bosni i Hercegovini, Zemaljski muzej Sarajevo, 1960.
Pieraccini 2016 – L. C. Pieraccini, Sacred Serpent Symbols: The Bearded Snakes of Etruria, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 10, 2016, 92–102.
Popović 2018 – G. Popović, Putna stanica Ad Drinum, Prilozi 47, Univerzitet u Sarajevu – Institut za historiju, 2018, 11–30.
Popović, Veletovac, Šačić Beća 2017 – G. Popović, E. Veletovac, A. Šačić Beća, Recently discovered Basilica from Late Antiquity and a Tombstone Stela from Mramorak near Osmaci, Godišnjak 46, Centar za balkanološka ispitivanja, Akademija
nauka i umjetnosti Bosne i Hercegovine, 2017, 184–202.
Rendić-Miočević 1980 – A. Rendić-Miočević, Prozor, Otočac, Lika – antički kamenolom, Arheološki pregled 21, 1980, 105–106.
Rendić-Miočević 2009 – A. Rendić-Miočević, Les ateliers régionaux dans l’arrierè-pays dalmate. L’identification des ateliers d’après les représentations des divinités autochtones, in: V. Gaggadis-Robin, A. Hermarty, M. Reddé, C. Sintes (eds.), Les ateliers de sculpture régionaux: techniques, styles et iconographie. Actes du Xe colloque international sur l’art provincial romain, Arles et Aix-en-Provence, 21–23 Mai 2007, Centre Camille Julian, 2009, 207–218.
Rendić-Miočević 2015 – A. Rendić-Miočević, Monuments of the Mithraic Cult in the territory of Arupium (Dalmatia), in: A. Nikoloska, S. Müskens (eds.), Romanising Oriental Gods? Religious transformations in the Balkan provinces in the Roman period. New finds and novel perspectives. Proceedings of the International Symposium Skopje, 18-21 September 2013, (Skopje), Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2015, 403–426.
Rostovtzeff 1935 – M. Rostovtzeff, Dura and the Problem of Parthian Art, Yale Classical Studies 5, 1935, 155–303.
Russell 2013 – B. Russell, The Economics of the Roman Stone Trade, Oxford Studies on the Roman Economy, Oxford University Press 2013.
Scheid 2007 – J. Scheid, Sacrifices for Gods and Ancestors, in: J. Rüpke (ed.), A Companion to Roman Religion, Blackwell Publishing, 2007, 263–271.
Selem, Vilogorac Brčić 2012 – P. Selem, I. Vilogorac Brčić, ROMIS. Religionum Orientalium monumenta et inscriptiones Salonitani. Znakovi i riječi/Signa et Litterae III, FF Press, 2012.
Selem, Vilogorac Brčić 2018 – P. Selem, I. Vilogorac Brčić, ROMIC II. Religionum
Orientalium monumenta et inscriptiones ex Croatia II. Znakovi i riječi/Signa et Litterae VI, FF Press, 2018.
Sicoe 2014 – G. Sicoe, Die mithräischen Steindenkmäler aus Dakien, Editura Mega,
Silnović 2015 – N. Silnović, Soli Deo Stellam et Frvctiferam: The Art of the Mithraic Cult in Salone, Annual of Medieval Studies at CEU 21, 2015, 103–116.
Silnović 2024a – N. Silnović, Evidence of a Specific Form of Worshipping Mithras in the Roman Province of Dalmatia and the Role of the Portorium in the Local Spread of the Cult, in: Cs. Szabó, C. Gugl (eds.), Sanctuaries in the Danubian Provinces. Interdisciplinary Studies in the Archaeology of Religion, Leiden 2024.
Silnović 2024b – N. Silnović, Invicto Mithrae Spelaeum Fecit: Mithraic Temples in the Roman Province of Dalmatia, in: I. Vilogorac Brčić, G. Kremer, A. Nikoloska (eds.), Contextualizing ‘Oriental’ Cults. New Lights on the Evidence between the Danube and the Adriatic, Proceedings of the International Symposium held in Zagreb and Ptuj 15th-17th September 2022, FF Press, 2024.
Šačić Beća 2018 – A. Šačić Beća, Administrativne jedinice nepoznatog imena iz istočne Bosne i Podrinja, Radovi (Historija, Historija umjetnosti, Arheologija) 5, 2018, 111–133.
Šarić 1980 – I. Šarić, Antički kamenolom u Prozoru (tehnologija vađenja kamena), in: M. Suić, M. Zaninović (eds.), Materijali, tehnike i strukture predantičkog i antičkog graditeljstva na istočnom jadranskom prostoru. Znanstveni kolokvij održan u Zadru 6.-8. XII. 1976, Zagreb: Odjel za arheologiju, Centar za povijesne znanosti, 1980,
–123.
Tóth 1977 – I. Tóth, Das lokale System der mithraischen Personifikationen im Gebiet von Poetovio, Arheološki vestnik 28, 1977, 385–392.
Vollkommer 1991 – R. Vollkommer, Mithras Tauroctonous – Studies zur einer Typologie der Stieropferszene auf Mithrasbildwerken, Mélanges de l’École Française de Rome 103, 1991, 265–281.
Zotović 1973 – Lj. Zotović, Mitraizam na tlu Jugoslavije, Posebna izdanja 11, Arheološki institut Beograd, 1973.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of BATHINVS Association ACTA ILLYRICA / Godišnjak Udruženja BATHINVS ACTA ILLYRICA Online ISSN 2744-1318
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.