Etruscan Religion

Etruscan Religion
   Owing to the fact that the mystery of the Etruscan language is still only partially solved, much of their religious background is still unknown. Such details as are available come mainly from classical writers, from monuments, and from mirrors.
   There were twelve great gods, six of each sex, who were called ‘the Senators of the Gods’ and ‘the Penates of the Thunderer Himself’. Their chief was Tin. They were fierce and pitiless deities whose name it was forbidden to utter, but they were not deemed eternal but supposed to rise and fall together. Above the great gods were the ‘Shrouded Gods’, who ruled both gods and men. In practice, however, the three gods of greatest importance were Tin, Uni, and Menrva. The Thunderbolt-hurling Gods, such as Summanus and Sethlans, were subordinate to these.
   Besides these there were Voltumna, mother goddess; Feronia, Horta, Ilythyia-Leucothea, Thalna, and Turan, who were fertility goddesses; Nortia, the goddess of fortune; Losna, the moon goddess; and Fufluns, the Bacchic god. Finally there were the guardians of Hades, Mantus and his wife Mania.

Who’s Who in non-classical mythology . . 2014.

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