
Thufltha is another avenging Underworld demoness, like Tukhulkha
and Nathum, who could also be invoked as a protective
Goddess. She is said to especially carry out the orders of Tinia or Tin (the
Etruscan equivalent of Jupiter). Her name is mentioned several times on the
bronze liver of Piacenza, a teaching device used to train diviners in ancient
Etruria which was divided into houses corresponding to the Etruscan symbolic
divisions of the heavens. The first instance of Her name is located on one of
the interior sections of the liver, near one of the protuberances; this is inscribed
as thuflthas Another interior inscription, just below, reads tins
thuf, and on the outside rim of the liver-model in the northwest area, the
regiones maxima dirae (most dire regions) is another example of tins
thuf. "Tins Thuf", as opposed to simply "Thuflthas"
has been interpreted to mean the avenging power of Tinia; perhaps Thuflthas
was conceived as a personification of Tinia's anger.
But Thuflthas evidentally had a protective, more benevolent side
to Her: an inscription to Thuflthas has been found on an Etruscan bronze statue
of a boy from the 2nd century BCE. Just over 21.5 inches tall, the statue is
in excellent shape and shows a young naked boy carrying a duck. Engraved up
the side of his right leg is the inscription dedicating it to Thuflthas, and
it has been taken to mean that the boy's mother dedicated the statue to invoke
Thuflthas's protection and to keep her son healthy.
Alternate spellings: Thuflthas, Thuflthash, Thupltha.
