CIRCA 2ND CENTURY B.C.

Potnia Theron, meaning "Mistress of Animals," is an ancient epithet used to describe a goddess associated with animals and nature. This title is most notably linked to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and wildlife. Depictions of Potnia Theron in art date back to the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations and often show a female figure flanked by animals, emphasizing her role as a protector and ruler of the natural world. For an archaic Etruscan antefix showing a goddess holding two lions found in Capua, see British Museum inv. No. 1877,0802.13.