The dog: a dionysiac animal?

Mario Iozzo,

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Abstract

Recent in-depth studies of the Dionysiac «bestiary» have identified a number of animals connected to the epiphaneia of the god. They are linked to him either by particular events in his childhood or by symbolic references to his powers as well as to the many aspects of his realm. Starting from a fragmentary neck-amphora with twisted or ridged handles (formerly Astarita, in the Gregorian Etruscan Museum), attributed to the Berlin Painter’s late phase, this contribution will investigate the possibility that dogs, too, may belong to the menagerie of the dionisiaka zoa.

Keywords

• Ceramica
• animali
• Dionysus
• Dioniso