OGOD


Egyptian

Etruscan

Phoenician

Roman

 

 

 

 

Zipanu is an Etruscan Goddess of Beauty and Love, associated with Turan, the Love-Goddess. Not a whole lot is known of Her: She is sometimes shown with Akhuvizr, Alpan, Thanr, or Thalna, which implies connections with fate (through the Lasae Akhuvizr and Alpan), birth or rebirth (through Her association with the Midwife-Goddesses Thanr and Thalna) and of course love (through Turan).

As one "Zipu" She may appear on an engraved mirror back attending to the preparations of the divine bride Malaviskh. While Turan oversees, She and Munthukh attend to Malaviskh while Hinthial stands behind them with a mirror. Munthukh does Malaviskh's makeup, and Zipu Her hair or crown: She is either tying on Malaviskh's diadem or braiding Her hair, judging by the gesture She makes. Zipu is beautifully dressed, in a headband, earrings, necklace and bracelets as well as intricate openwork sandals. Like Munthukh, Zipu too wears an extremely transparent chiton that shows every contour; Hers, however, has horizontal stripes at the ankles and the hip which conceal nothing and in fact serves to draw attention to Her sex. In contrast, Turan and Hinthial are quite covered up in opaque cloaks draped about them, and the bride Herself is dressed in several layers. It is possible Zipu and Munthukh are meant to be Goddesses of a particularly sexy or enticing form of Beauty, perhaps to be paralleled with such attendants of the Greek Aphrodite as Peitho, Goddess of Persuasion, or Himeros, God of Desire.

Zipanu's name means "Brilliant" or "Flash".

Alternate spellings: Zipanu, Zipna, Zipa, Sipna, Zipu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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