Etruscans Now
Mythology
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Wayne Rupp - Florida State University
The Vegetal Goddess in the Tomb of the Typhon
The Tomb of the Typhon contains the much-discussed image of a winged giant with serpentine legs painted on one of its pillars. On the opposite side of this pillar, there is a winged female with vegetation growing from her waist instead of legs, which is generally glossed over as a caryatid and not discussed in any detail. In my paper, I will discuss the possible origins of this image, the identity of the goddess, her appearance in Scythian and Thracian art, and the survival of her image in Roman art.