
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
