Lecture: Weird and Wonderful Animals on Etruscan Mirrors

Etruscan mirrors (most date to ca. 500-200 BCE) are an important source for depictions of animals and their interactions with humans, especially women. Animals in the ancient world, whether real, fantastic, domesticated or wild, can inform us about many aspects of ancient life, whether domestic life, religion, or the zoological world of the ancient imagination. But in Etruscan art animals often show up in surprising and unexpected ways, especially in mythic and religious contexts. For instance, the winged Lasa, a uniquely Etruscan divinity, is sometimes depicted with a deer. And although often ignored in the scholarship, interesting animals sometimes appear in contexts of divination or prophecy, such as birth and wedding scenes. Were the animals simply “filler” for the scene, or did they carry some deeper meaning or purpose? This talk will examine some of these weird and wonderful animals and their association with humans, especially women, in a variety of mirror scenes for what they may tell us about Etruscan culture.

Lectures are offered free with the cost of daily admission:

• Art+ Museum Members: Free
• Not-Yet-Members: $25
• College Students: Free