Etruscan Potnia Theron with possible vegetation legs
Potnia Theron, kyathos handle, end of the 7th century or start of the 6th century BCE. Etruscan. Chisui National Museum, Italy, inventory 1378. From Valentini 1969.
Tonight we’re going to look at a very interesting image of Potnia Theron, an ancient fertility goddess. The image is from the handle a kyathos, an ancient ladle for scooping wine, and was made during the end of the 7th century or start of the 6th century BCE.
The figure wears a polos on her head, a headdress similar to the calathos which the Scythian snake leg goddess often wears. Two birds, likely owls, are hovering near her shoulders. To be honest, I'm having a hard time seeing the birds, but here's a larger drawing:
Potnia Theron, kyathos handle, an ancient ladle for scooping wine. End of the 7th century or start of the 6th century BCE. Etruscan, Chiusi National Museum. Rupp 2004.
Several academics noted her similarity to the Scythian snake legged goddess, as her lower body ends in a similar curling design. I’m also curious about her headgear, because to my eyes, it looks similar to what the Scythian goddess wears (and both headdresses resemble baskets, honestly.)
Here's another similar Etruscan image, and here’s some other examples.
Sources
Rupp Jr., Wayne L. "The Vegetal Goddess in the Tomb of the Typhon." Etruscan Studies: Journal of the Etruscan Foundation 10 (2004): 211-19.
Valentini, G. 1969. “Il motivo della potrai Theron sui vasi di bucchero.” StEtr 37: 413-42.
Moore, Daniel Walker. “The Etruscan Roots of the Reinheim Armring.” Germania, 2021.
