Usil

 ( Etruscan Mythology ) 

Usil is the Etruscan solar deity of the sun, shown to be identified with Apulu (Apollo). His iconic depiction features Usil rising out of the sea, with a fireball in either outstretched hand, on an engraved Etruscan bronze mirror in late Archaic style, formerly on the Roman antiquities market.Noted by J. D. Beazley, "The World of the Etruscan Mirror" The Journal of Hellenic Studies 69 (1949:1–17) p. 3, fig. 1. On Etruscan mirrors in the Classical style, Usil appears with an Aureola.

He was identified with Apulu; appearing on an Etruscan mirror from the Vatican dating from the 4th century BC, on which Usil is seen holding the bow of Apulu.

Usil was identified with the Roman mythology Sol and Greek mythology Helios. However, while Usil is depicted as male in some artwork, there are also feminine depictions. There is also a connection with the indigenous Etruscan goddess Catha, who has been interpreted as having a solar character, however she has also been identified with a Lunar character. In artwork, Usil is shown in close association with the dawn goddess Thesan, something almost never seen with Helios and Eos.

Catha has been identified as "Solis Filia" meaning "Sun's Daughter", making Usil her father.

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In the Liver of Piacenza Since his name appears on the bronze liver of Piacenza, next to Tiur, meaning both "moon" and "month", since then Tiur has been identified as the name of the personification of the moon, but it was most likely a date. The inscriptions on the Pyrgi Tablets confirm that "tiur" was meant as "month" for datations,.

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See also

• List of solar deities
• Catha
• Etruscan Religion

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Bibliography

• (2025). 9780714122380, British Museum/University of Texas. ISBN 9780714122380
• (2025). 9780292782334, University of Texas Press. . ISBN 9780292782334
• Sybille Haynes (2025). 9780892366002, Getty Publications. ISBN 9780892366002
• Jean-René Jannot (2025). 9780299208448, University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 9780299208448

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