- chapter 20: Mothers and children –
Turan herself, the love goddess, is a frequent example for mortal lovers. She is shown
together with her lover, Adonis (Atunis). Along with her swan, Tusna, she appears with
Atunis on a beautiful amber group in the Metropolitan Museum, holding an alabastron
from which she will apply a fragrant perfume or unguent to ratify their union (Fig.
20.7).^31 On another mirror, Turan and an older, taller, adult Atunis appear in a conjugal
embrace in front of the marriage bed: the anasyrma gesture of Turan announces the
forthcoming consummation of their marriage.^32
Figure 20.6 Bronze mirror from Castelgiorgio. Peleus, rushing in from the left, sees Thetis at her
toilette, looking into her mirror. New York, Metropolitan Museum. (Bonfante, 1997, CSE USA 3.14).Figure 20.7 Carved amber bow of a fi bula, from Ancona. Aphrodite (Turan) reclining on a
couch with her lover Adonis (Atunis); her swan curls up behind her back. New York,
Metropolitan Museum. C. 500 bc.