An existential witch on a quest for the nonexistent.

Library Table

This is the landing page for my research on Isis-Thermouthis, who was depicted with a snake tail:

Also, my links on Anubis, who was shown with a serpent's tail, and on one occasion, two snake legs:

Nonbinary Scythian deities

I have the images I’ve been looking for— both male versions of the Scythian snake-legged goddess, but these are both clearly male.

Like the ancient Scythian Enarei, trans priests involved in divination, the snake-legged Scythian deity’s gender is also ambiguous. I’ve been searching for nonbinary images of this deity, I finally found them!

To sum up: two tailed sirens evolved from the snake-legged Scythian goddess, which in turn has roots in ancient imagery of the Mistress and Master of Animals from the near east. Given that the Scythian snake-legged goddess has origins in both male and female imagery, I’m not surprised that the figure is shown as either male or female— or as both.

Let’s take a look at these enby deities.

First up is a bronze plaque from Olynthus, discovered in Greece, which I’ve discussed before. Since I was able to look at the book with the original photo (Robinson, David M., et al. Excavations at Olynthus. Part 10) It’s really clear to see: the deity is male, likely bearded. While the the chest area is damaged, his hair is short and jaw is fairly square.

(No, I haven’t been able to find a better pic of this. I’m guessing that it’s in the Archaeological Museum of Polygyros in Greece, which houses the finds from the excavation, but the museum’s catalog isn’t online.)

Scythian ancestral goddess, bearded. Gold diadem. From Kul Oba, Crimea 400-350 BCE. Hermitage Museum, St Petersberg.

I’m very excited about this image— because it’s one of the non binary / androgynous Scythian tendril figures I’ve been researching. While most of the Scythian snake-legged deities have breasts, and are so likely meant to represent women, this one is bearded. 

(Disclosure: while this object is supposed to be in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, I can’t find it on their website.)

For reference, here's a drawing of the figure. Gold diadem from the Kul'-Oba tumulus: a fragment (drawing by Helena Sokolovskaya after Williams and Ogden 1994, fig. 85). Drawing from Ustinova.

I’m happy that the next one is photographed on an angle, so we can clearly see the figure has both breasts and a beard. Longer post here. Capital fragment, Salamis, Cyprus, 300-250 BC. Currently in the British Museum. 

Our final enby Scythian goddess is possibly from the 4th century BCE, and shows a handsome and well-preserved image of the gender fluid Scythian ancestral deity. They wears a calathus on his head, headgear normally worn by goddesses; they has a beard and wings; and their chiton covers feminine-looking breasts.

It’s interesting that it’s so hard to find photos of these images, while the female snake-legged Scythian goddesses are relatively easy to find. C’mon, no need to be shy! 

For comparison’s sake, here are some clearly male images of this deity:

Bearded deity, acroterium, found north of the Black Sea. 3rd century BCE. Marble. Inv. No. A.937. Image via Wikipedia.

Athenian column base. From the Mobius article.

I’ll end this with a favorite quote of mine from Ustinov on this topic: “The snake-limbed goddess was in the eyes of the Scythians a primordial being, the progenitor of the human race. Ambiguity of gender, probably expressing the deity's all-inclusiveness, was common to several divinities, who usually had a conventional gender, but deviated from it in cult, mythology and iconography.”

Sources

Plaque at Olynthus:

Robinson, David M., et al. Excavations at Olynthus. Part 10, Metal and Minor Miscellaneous Finds : An Original Contribution to Greek Life (with a New Up-to-Date Map of Olynthus). Johns Hopkins Press ; Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1941. Pages 30-39.

Gold diadem:

Photo from: Williams, Dyfri, et al. Greek Gold : Jewelry of the Classical World. Abrams, 1994. Fig 85.

For this topic in general:

Ustinova, Yulia. "Snake-Limbed and Tendril-Limbed Goddesses in the Art and Mythology of the Mediterranean and Black Sea." Scythians and Greeks: Cultural Interaction in Scythia, Athens and the Early Roman Empire (Sixth Century B.C. - Fist Century A.D.). Exeter: University of Exeter Press, 2005. Pages 76-78, “Tendril-Limbed Creatures and Androgyny.”

Möbius, Hans. “Eine Dreiseitige Basis in Athen.” Mitteilungen Des Deutschen ArchäOlogischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilung, 1926. Book online here.

Picture of the throne:

DERWAEL, Stéphanie. “Half-Human Half-Vegetal Hybrids in Eastern Mosaics.” Journal of Mosaic Research 16 89–110. 2023.

For disputes on dating the throne:

Cats at the Temple of Apollo Site // Delphi Archeological site, Greece