Leinth

Inscriptions to the god Leinth have only been identified on two bronze mirrors and a single fragment of ceramic, found within an artisan’s zone on an Etruscan site in Italy.

It is difficult, with such little evidence, to determine what may seem to be even the most rudimentary qualities of the deity, because the Etruscans did not consistently assign specific genders or attributes to their gods.

A young Hercle, distinguished by his club and lion-skin cape, stands over a defeated Cerberus, the three-headed beast attributed to the underworld.

[2] Following this connection, it makes sense for a deity, likely linked to death, to be present in a scene that appears to take place in the underworld, as suggested by the presence of Cerberus.

[3] The presence of such a dichotomy, a god linked with death and a goddess connected to new life, presents an interesting dynamic within the context of the scene.

Within the sanctuary of the artisans at the Etruscan site of Cetamura del Chianti, a single sherd of black-gloss was discovered bearing the inscription “milein”.

[5] This is the first dedicatory inscription to have been reported on and attributed to the divine Leinth, but its location within the artisans’ zone may help classify the deity as a figure of success and fortune.