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god or goddess or the popularity of a particular narrative or scene by undertaking such an
approach.
A further possibility for the study of theriomorphic and therianthropic deities would be to
examine the extent to which Egyptian deities appear in hybrid forms in Rome. As mentioned
earlier in this dissertation, the Romans were familiar with the Egyptian pantheon, and, despite
literary sources which have been taken to indicate disapproval, there is evidence for the
appropriation of some Egyptian divinities. A study of the Egyptian material would serve to
compliment the study of the native Italian evidence.
Ultimately, the use of animal-hybrid imagery functioned as a way for the ancients to
express their religious concerns. Just as with any other deity, a therianthropic or theriomorphic
god, goddess, or demon could protect mortals from malevolent forces, ease their transition to or
embody their concern with the afterlife, offer a cure for sickness and disease, foretell the future
and serve as an intermediary between man and the gods. What is interesting about these deities
and demons is the marked distinction which separates them from humanity by the visual cue of
blending human and animal anatomy. By gathering the archaeological and literary evidence
presented in this study, I hope that I have demonstrated that these divinities formed an important
and influential part of ancient Etruscan and Roman religion. The corpus of material and texts
gathered here is representative of one fascinating aspect of the culture of ancient Italy. By
examining these deities and demons, who have until now only received marginal attention in
mainstream scholarship, one is able to gain a broader perspective on the ability of the Etruscans
and Romans to use metaphors to make sense of their world and thus to become closer to men and
women who, like us, sought ways to define and understand the workings of the universe.
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