Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 1): Zeus god of the bright sky (Cambridge, 1914)

Spread of the Hittite Bull-cult 641

bronze bull, acquired by Monsieur Sorlin-Dorigny somewhere in
the interior of Asia Minor and by him presented to the Louvre, is
regarded by Monsieur Perrot as of Hittite manufacture1. It has
markings on its haunch which recall those of Tesub's bull at Eyuk.
Probably we should be right in assuming at various Hittite centres
the cult of a life-sized bronze bull, of which copies on a smaller
scale were multiplied. This assumption would at least square
with some further facts. W. Leonhard2 compares with the Louvre
statuette a small bronze bull of crude style seen by Prof. Cumont
near Neokaisareia {Niksar) in Pontos. The find-spot was one of
considerable interest3:

'You reach a mountain-top, which commands a view southwards over a vast
stretch of country—Niksar itself, the Lykos-valley fading away into the distant
haze, the wooded ranges of Lithros and Ophlimos forming the boundary of
Phanaroia, and beyond with its white peaks the hig'h mountain-chain of Asia
Minor. Pines are growing on this height that no man would venture to cut,
and all around are to be seen traces of a circular precinct-wall. This summit,
like many others, is under the protection of Elias, and every year on the
twentieth of June, the day consecrated to this prophet by the orthodox church,
the villagers celebrate a 'liturgy' here. They slaughter sheep and poultry,
roast them, and then fall to eating, drinking, and dancing merrily. The nature
of the spot and the details of the feast are so similar to those that we have
already noted near Ebimi at the sanctuary of Zeus Stratios and elsewhere too^
that we can safely infer the existence of a pagan cult on this mountain-top.
The 'liturgy' of Elias has taken the place of a festival held at the summer
solstice. More than that, we were assured that ancient idols are unearthed on
the mountain, and by way of proof we were shown a small bronze bull of very
rude make and a bull's head that we were able to acquire5.... The neck is
a hollow socket, and two holes pierced in the metal show that this head must
have been fixed on a wooden stem. The eye-holes are empty and were doubtless
inlaid with enamel. The tongue, which hung out of the half-opened mouth, is
now broken. A ring under the jaw probably served for the attachment of a

back, there is a triangular bow, and in his outstretched left hand he seems to hold up a
forked emblem, like the lightning trident, and to grasp at the same time a cord which is
attached to the nose of the bull. His dress is a short bordered tunic. Facing him is
a long-robed personage, in whom we recognise the king-priest, distinguished by his
close-fitting cap and the characteristic large curl of hair behind the neck. In his left
hand he holds a reversed lituus ; his right is partly extended and seems to be pouring out
some fluid which falls in a wavy stream. He is followed by a small person who leads
up...a goat clearly intended for an offering. Some hieroglyphs complete the picture.'

1 Perrot—Chipiez Hist, de PArt iv. 763 fig. 369 : ' Ce taureau peut avoir ete une
idole, celle meme que nous voyons dressee sur l'autel dans un des bas-reliefs d'Euiuk'
[supra p. 636 fig. 495].

2 W. Leonhard Hettiter and Amazonen Leipzig—Berlin 1911 p. 230.

3 F. Cumont—E. Cumont Voyage d''exploration archeologique dans le Pont et la
Petite Armenie {Studia Pontica ii) Bruxelles 1906 p. 270 ff.

4 Eld. ib. pp. 129 f., 172 ff, 233.

5 Eid. ib. p. 271 fig. The original, o*o6m in length, is now in the Musde du
Cinqtiantenaire (inventory no. A, 963).

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