Remember to find the divine in human life. The streets are full of lares, the old woman at the counter blessed with long life and wrinkles touched by Hera’s embrace, the warm days of Helios and the magic he gives, the child understanding who they are under Apollon and Artemis, the enduring tales of Arthur of pagan providence that haunt the world.

You donate a bowl of soup, and Hestia is there to light the stove. You reach towards the lightning and feel Tinia’s smile as he delivers omens. If you take a walk down the street, surely you must see the works of the divine, whether as so small of a spirit or a grand god.

life is beautiful. be sure to connect to your fellow people, love divine.

I am not sure if anyone else is deeply interested in apotropatic magic as I am, but it is very easy to invoke protective symbolisms around one's dwelling.

Do you need to keep spoils away? Put a picture of a serpent, especially if hellenic, to invoke the Agathos Daimon. Create rocks and monuments to gods, like Tinia Tular or Apollon Agyieus, invoke the imagery of Herakles who defeats monsters, or Arthur who protects the brythons.

Art is protection. Stained glass with symbols of heroes, cups with eyes, pictures of the harvest for plenty. Imagery of herbs and powers to invoke their likeness--does a mandrake still screech when framed?

A small note of Etruscan polytheism I find fascinating is the direct connection to the solstices/equinoxes. Tinia for the summer solstice, Nethuns for the Autumnal equinox, Uni perhaps for the winter solstice, and then spg of Voltumna for the spring equinox. Who needs the wheel of the year when you have Rasenna?

THE 2024-2025 BRONTOSCOPTIC CALENDAR

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

[IMG ID: A scene of a lightning strike at light. The background is empty, sparing a few clouds illuminated by the light of the strike. There are two lightning strikes, one to the left that extends beyond the image, and another that stops slightly beyond the halfway mark of the image. The lightning strikes are a vibrant yellow, contrasting against a purple background, with the light around the strike taking on a striking red-pink.]

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Content warning: The brontoscoptic refers to several possibly triggering events, such as death, disease, and abortion. The text also refers to common practices in the ancient world such as slavery and misogyny, which we must acknowledge for the evil it is.

A new year, new dates for the Brontoscoptic calendar! This year is a bit odd for the translation, the new moon in cancer was June 21st—meaning the majority of the “June” month is in July. The calendar picks back up on the next new moon, which is August 4th. Therefore the brontoscoptic month of July is in August. Strange for us to think of, but lunar calendars do not always translate easily into Gregorian.

"how do I contact the aiser" the secret is to simply yell really loudly at the divisions of heaven and or be extra transgender

I see people speak of Dionysus as a women’s god and I propose: Herakles as a woman’s god. Sometimes ladies need a god of masculinity to be for them you know.

Etruscan Polytheism Server

Rasenna Polytheism is a 16+ Etruscan/Rasenna polytheism community server, run by I and my dear friend Shura/Melisphae, seeking to reconstruct and revive the religious practices of the Etruscans, along with spaces for reconstructing the religious life related groups such as the Raetians.

We have many ongoing projects anyone may contribute to, such as the Etruscan polytheism 101 website, the ever-growing carrd, and divination methods. We also have a library and fully accept witchcraft or any other magical practices! Anyone is welcome, even people who do not plan on interacting with the aiser.

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Hinthial, ais of the ghostly reflection

[ID: An image of a pond at dusk. The woodland shore is visible to the viewer, curving slightly to the left. Above the pond is a forest of trees, reflecting onto the pond. The water also reflects the dark sky with hues of pink.]

By Morgan, poetry by Nico

THE AISER OFTEN HAVE NAMES THAT DIRECTLY RELATE TO THEIR DIVINE PRESENCE, and Hinthial’s means ‘ghost’, ‘reflection’, and ‘mirrored image.’ Like many of the aiser, little evidence exists for her. While this post is short, Hinthial’s existence does implicate more on the ideas of Rasenna afterlife and perhaps a chthonian Turan.

Hinthial’s name tells us the most about her. In scenes with ghosts, spirits are addressed as “hinthial”, before their name such as the scene of hinthial Tereais or hinthial Patroclus. This tells us that ghosts, with hinthial also meaning ‘reflection’, are ghastly mirror images of the living in Rasenna cosmology.. Considering this, we can see Hinthial as a goddess of ghosts, but also of mirror reflections, mirror divination, and related to beauty through her divine reflections. 

THE ETRUSCAN MIRROR 

One of the very few direct attestations we have of hinthial is from a divine dressing scene. These scenes depict Turan being adorned by her circle/her handmaidens, as Turan represents the aristocratic lady in Rasenna society. 

Hinthial here is depicted as a finely dressed older woman holding a mirror. As such, we can understand the mirror—called malena or malestra—as her symbol, befitting for the ais of the ghostly reflection. 

Scenes of Turan often show her being attended to by her divine circle, many of which share aspects or relation to her—Zipna is associated with beauty, Thalna with childbirth which is a possibility of Turan’s blessing of pleasure, Mean with Turan’s association with peace, etc. Turan likely has a chthonic aspect like Venus, as a statue of her named the “Cannicella Venus” was discovered at an Rasenna necropolis. Fascinatingly, this kouros style statue was likely modified from a traditional male kouros into a feminine one, essentially undergoing gender reassignment. Hinthial being in her circle could possibly give more to the concept of a chthonic Turan.

MODERN WORSHIP 

As with most of the aiser, worship of hinthial will have to largely rely upon UPG and inferences we can make about her. Firstly, as a goddess of the mirror image, she can be venerated in connection to beauty and our reflections. Secondly, we can honour her as a goddess of ghosts. She guides the reflections of life we see when we interact with the undead—perhaps making her of interest to modern necromancy and death-focused practices as a unique beauty and death ais. To our current knowledge as of November 2023, there are no worshippers of her, and so the newest generation of Rasenna polytheists can become her first devotees in a millenia. 

Hymn to Hinthial by @poeticnorth

I call out to Hinthial

The ghostly queen within mirrors

She who is the reflection of the dead

And serves as Handmaiden to Turan

You are the shadow of the dying

The shade of the departed

You weave fate deftly

And reflect it from your realm

Matcher of lovers, patron of beauty

Who reveals flaws and strengths

From within the looking glass

Ghost of Tiresias, friend of the buried

O Hinthial, I sing to you now

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References 

De Grummond, N. T., & Simon, E. (2009). The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press.

de Grummond, N. T. (1985). THE ETRUSCAN MIRROR. Source: Notes in the History of Art, 4(2/3), 26–35. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23202423

Bonfante, L. (1993). ETRUSCAN NUDITY. Source: Notes in the History of Art, 12(2), 47–55. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23202935

File:Bronze mirror from London with Zipna Malavisch Hinthial Munthuch Turan Drawing.jpg – Wikimedia Commons. (n.d.). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bronze_mirror_from_London_with_Zipna_Malavisch_Hinthial_Munthuch_Turan_Drawing.jpg

Tivr, god of the moon

[ID: A photograph of the moon over a lilac purple sky, with small clouds to the near left and the bottom left of the image. To the bottom right is a cliff side, with another smaller cliff side behind the first. The moon is in a fingernail cresent.]

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Tivr, Tiv, or Tiur, (Etruscan tiu/tiur, “month”) is the ais of the moon. They have been recognised as the moon ais as Tivr stands opposite to Usil on the Liver of Piacenza, on the “negative” side where the aiser of death and night reside. Converserly, Usil (at sunrise) and Tiv (at sunset) are separated on the liver from the sunset zone by the Suspensorium hepaticum (falciform ligament). As for syncretism, Tivr was likely identified with Luna and Selene akin to how Usil was identified with Helios and Sol. 

Tivr’s symbol is the crescent, as witnessed in the heraldic symbol of the Tiuza family of Chiusi. Their tomb dates to the third-century within Tassinaia and is decorated with crescent moons, along with a shield marked with a lunar phase. 

CATHA, GODDESS OF THE MOON?

Nancy de Grummond argues that Catha, the daughter of Usil, is a lunar goddess. Tiur’s name is mentioned in a dedicatory inscription on a bronze crescent to Catha reading “mi tiiurs kaθuniiasul.” The relationship between the two if we take Catha as a lunar goddess is unknown. 

MODERN WORSHIP

Tivr is a deity with very little information. Many scholars identify Tivr as feminine due to Luna and Selene, however this may be untrue as no known depiction of Tivr exists. In modern worship we can worship Tivr as the god of the moon/month and let our experiences guide us in understanding this obscure ais. 

References

de Grummond, N. T. (2004). For the Mother and for the Daughter: Some Thoughts on Dedications from Etruria and Praeneste. Hesperia Supplements, 33, 351–370. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1354077

Stevens, N. R. (2009). A new reconstruction of the Etruscan Heaven. American Journal of Archaeology, 113(2), 153–164. https://doi.org/10.3764/aja.113.2.153

The religion of the Etruscans. (2006). In University of Texas Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.7560/706873

Turfa, J. M. (2012). Divining the Etruscan world: The Brontoscopic Calendar and Religious Practice. Cambridge University Press.

Zipna, Chief Attendant of Turan

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Zipna is attested chiefly on Etruscan mirrors with Turan. As seen on the Leningrad mirror, Zipna is the chief attendant of Turan’s circle, bringing alabastron and perfume dipper. She appears as a well-addressed woman with wings, making her another Lasa in Turan’s circle. In her known depictions, Zipna appears with Turan and in some capacity related to beauty and cosmetics.

Zipna appears in a romantic scene with Atunis and Turan, holding a jar and a rod to apply the ointment. She stands behind Turan, while the other attendants of Turan dance around the mirror. She stands behind Turan, while the other attendants of Turan dance around the mirror. The large swan is Turan’s personal swan named Tusna. Surrounding the mirror are Turan’s other attendants, Alpan, Achvizr, Munthuch, Mean, Hathna, with an unknown man and woman.

Figure 1. Etruscan mirror with Tusna, Atunis, Turan and Zipna in the center and Alpan, Achvizr, Munthuch, Mean, Hathna, along with an unknown man and woman flying around the edges. From An Archive of Images of Etruscan Mythology.

Figure 2. Thalna, Zipna, Turan and Atunis: consummation of the marriage. Etruscan mirror in Tarquinia, Museo Archeologico Nazionale

She also appears in a mirror that depicts the union of adult Atunis and Turan. Along with a masculine Thalna, the two adorn the couple—Thalna holds a wreath and Zipna releases the perfume that announces the union of Turan and Atunis. In this capacity Zipna appears to be related to legitimising a union through the usage of perfume. Unlike her other depictions, Zipna lacks wings, which is not unusual for one of the aiser, especially for a member of Turan’s circle.

Considering her role in bringing Turan her makeup and perfumes, we can assume that Zipna is a goddess associated with perfume, beauty, and adorning oneself—perhaps even sexuality. marriage, and romance, considering her usage of perfume to legitimise a union. We can also take the alabastron and perfume as her symbols, as she is portrayed as holding them.

Worship wise, honouring Zipna will likely have to mostly be built upon personal gnosis. However, considering her known depictions, one can honour her by offering cosmetics, perfumes, and other beauty related items. Honouring her may also be done through self-care and doing your makeup, beckoning her to one’s side to guide your hand. While today dressing up is often done alone, Turan always has her circle to adorn her. Beauty and care then is a communal act, a moment to come together and smile at your features. If marriage is ever a wish to come, Zipna then can be invoked to bless the union with her divine aromatics.

References

Bonfante, L. 2015. Etruscan mirrors and the grave. In Haack, M. (Ed.), L’écriture et l’espace de la mort. Épigraphie et nécropoles à l’époque préromaine. Roma: Publications de l’École française de Rome. doi:10.4000/books.efr.2741 

de Grummond, N. T. (1985). THE ETRUSCAN MIRROR. Source: Notes in the History of Art, 4(2/3), 26–35. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23202423

De Grummond, N. T., & Simon, E. (2009). The Religion of the Etruscans. University of Texas Press.

Thalna, Aiser of Childbirth

[ID: A group of six waterfowl flying west. The sky in the image is grey and the tops of bare, dark trees can be seen. The birds are white with bronze and black wings.]

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Thalna is an aiser in the circle of Turan associated with childbirth and healing, along with appearing at artistic images of revelry and prophesy. Commonly appearing at scenes of childbirth, Thalna and other birth related aiser often deliver and bandage the afterbirth of childbirth scenes in Etruscan art—usually being described by scholars as “nurses” and “midwives.” There are currently no known deities that were identified with Thalna. 

ICONOGRAPHY 

Similar to other aiser, Thalna appears in both the masculine and feminine forms in Etruscan art. In her feminine form, Thalna is depicted as a woman with or without clothes, usually wearing jewellery and sometimes a crown. In his masculine form, Thalna is shown as a nude well-built man usually wearing sandals. Either depiction may be shown with wings and appears at scenes of childbirth. 

Thalna is shown twice with a goose or swan. One of these depictions is of a communal scene in which Thalna sits next to Tinia with a waterfowl at her feet. The other is with Anchas, with the waterfowl appearing behind Anchas while Thalna plays the iynx. 

In scenes of childbirth, Thalna appears with Thanr and or Ethausva. Otherwise, they appear with Turan or other aiser. Thalna also appears in a triad with Evan and Achvistr.

RELATIONSHIP WITH ANCHAS 

A feminine Thalna playing with the iynx to Anchas. She sits to the right playing an iynx, with Anchas sitting to the left reaches his arm to her with a large waterfowl behind him. From Wikimedia Commons.

Thalna is shown in an erotic scene with an unknown man called Anchas. The context behind their relationship is unknown, however the iconography of the scene is similar to the symbolism of Turan and Atunis, suggesting that Anchas and Thalna are lovers. Other than the scene in art however, not much is known of Anchas or the mythology behind their relationship. Anchas has been suggested to be Anchises from ancient Greek myth, however this is uncertain and largely based on name similarity. 

MODERN DAY WORSHIP

Thalna was the reason I came into Etruscan polytheism. This deity had pulled me in after I had been introduced to Etruria, as I kept returning to their name until I said I was going to reconstruct Etruscan religion. I find Thalna to be a calm, caring deity that reminds I of flowers in their calming effect upon me. Thalna is most comforting, sometimes soothing the pain of my rot, as multiple sclerosis is a disease of constant pain. 

I have offered Thalna wax, tea, and other sorts of liquids to them. I try to give something every Saturday as per Thalna’s request. Otherwise, standard votives and other foods may be offered to her.

To me, it has always felt most appropriate to use they for Thalna, though when discussing the masculine and feminine forms it feels appropriate to default to other pronouns. Thalna in my experience is a deity mostly without a standard of gender, even less so than the other aiser. While childbirth is very much so not my thing, Thalna’s healing and nurse-like qualities apply more in my life. I appreciate their work in making sure children come safely and that the pains of childbirth are soothed. 

Symbols wise, I have taken the waterfowl—likely a swan or a goose—to be their symbol. I also associate Thalna with beads, as I always see them with either wooden or glass beads wrung around their neck—especially the Venetian murano beads, of which I plan to someday obtain for them. I would like to think this is a measure against anxiety, similar to Greek komboloi (“worry beads”). Thalna in my experience is a deity of love and comfort, wrapping one in her wings and tending to their wounds. I truly adore and love Thalna, the all-comforting winged blessing of a god. 

References 

Anne Layton, S. (2013). Performance and Visual Culture in Etruria: 7th – 2nd Century BC. University of Virginia.

Katharine T. Von Stackelberg. (2014). Garden Hybrids: Hermaphrodite Images in the Roman House. Classical Antiquity, 33(2), 395–426. https://doi.org/10.1525/ca.2014.33.2.395

The Religion of the Etruscans. (2006). In University of Texas Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.7560/706873

Turfa, J. M. (2014). The Etruscan World. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB12906673