Etruscan urn with Medusa head

[Imperial Dave]

https://archaeology.org/news/2025/09/05/etruscan-urn-with-carved-medusa-head-puzzles-experts/

Hopefully of interest...

[Nick Harbud]

It's a shame one cannot correct the typos in thread headings, don't you think?

[Erpingham]

It's a shame one cannot correct the typos in thread headings, don't you think?

Admins and moderators can. Don't know about authors.

[Imperial Dave]

Thanks 

[Ian61]

I'm sure the experts know what they are talking about but those locks don't look much like snakes to me.

[Adrian Nayler]

The figure may instead be a representation of Vanth, a female Etruscan entity with no direct comparison in Greek mythology. One of her roles is as the escort of the dead to the underworld. Though many representations have her visibly accompanying the deceased, it may not be unknown for her to appear in isolation on a funerary urn. Vanth is depicted with wings and this urn has a fine pair above her shoulders. Medusa, on the other hand, is not depicted with wings to my knowledge. The absence of obvious snake-like hair and the presence of wings does rather suggest Vanth as opposed to Medusa. A curious feature is the apparent wheel motif above her head. Might this have been appropriated from the Gauls who appear to have used it as a symbol of war? Speculating wildly on top of the idea that the urn is a cenotaph, perhaps it may suggest that the deceased died in a distant war but Vanth was still there to escort him to the afterlife? (Do I get the archaeologist job now?) 

[Ian61]

The figure may instead be a representation of Vanth, a female Etruscan entity with no direct comparison in Greek mythology. One of her roles is as the escort of the dead to the underworld. Though many representations have her visibly accompanying the deceased, it may not be unknown for her to appear in isolation on a funerary urn. Vanth is depicted with wings and this urn has a fine pair above her shoulders. Medusa, on the other hand, is not depicted with wings to my knowledge. The absence of obvious snake-like hair and the presence of wings does rather suggest Vanth as opposed to Medusa. A curious feature is the apparent wheel motif above her head. Might this have been appropriated from the Gauls who appear to have used it as a symbol of war? Speculating wildly on top of the idea that the urn is a cenotaph, perhaps it may suggest that the deceased died in a distant war but Vanth was still there to escort him to the afterlife? (Do I get the archaeologist job now?) 

Frankly you would get my vote. Your explanation sounds much more convincing than that in the article.

[Imperial Dave]

What's an Etruscan urn anyway?

[Ian61]

What's an Etruscan urn anyway?

More than I do probably.

[Imperial Dave]

 

[Jon Freitag]

Frankly you would get my vote. Your explanation sounds much more convincing than that in the article.

And my vote too!

[Keraunos]

(Do I get the archaeologist job now?) 

Thanks for introducing Vanth to me.  Fascinating.

Certainly you may have the job, but remember that as an archaeologist there are not many opportunities for unurned income. 

[Jon Freitag]

...unurned income. 

Oh boy.  Pun of the day.

[Adrian Nayler]

... but remember that as an archaeologist there are not many opportunities for unurned income. 

In light of various recent (and indeed historic) scandals relating to unurned gains, I'm happy to stick with the urned variety.

[Swampster]

Medusa, on the other hand, is not depicted with wings to my knowledge.

Yes and no.
Full body images of Medusa and the other gorgons frequently show wings and Aeschylus mentions them.

There are a large number of (mostly Roman) heads with wings and sinuous hair which are labelled in museums etc. as Medusa.
Finding a gorgoneion with both wings and snakes certainly hasn't been easy but there is a 1st century bc statue in Aquilea with one on the breast plate. One of the shield designs from the tomb of the Erotes has a winged head which from context is Medusa, though whether there are snakes or serpentine hair is less clear (the heads of Helios also have rather writhing locks)
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/151693/shield-with-a-head-of-medusa?ctx=a44cf2ab-9867-43c1-a9a2-82739d3cb041&idx=38

I'm not discounting the Vanth idea though. Later similar images may have become identified as Medusa once the Etruscan gods were forgotten until it came to the point where artists used the image to be Medusa.
The winged head certainly stood for other deities anyway - Hypnos for example