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Mistress of Animals
Ancient Greek mythology, religion and art
Devoted Wife V04 By Lovestory Upd Access
Devoted Wife v04 is a solid progression for fans of the genre. It offers a blend of romantic storytelling and interactive drama, proving to be a worthwhile update for those following the journey of the main characters. Whether you are new to the game or returning, this version provides the most complete snapshot of Lovestory's vision yet.
Note: This write-up is a general description based on the typical format of visual novel updates. For specific patch notes (e.g., word count, specific scene counts), please refer to the developer's official changelog.
The update v0.4 for Devoted Wife , developed by LoveStory, was released in late December 2024, introducing significant narrative and visual enhancements. This adult visual novel follows the complex life of Rina and Kenji, exploring themes of loyalty and relationships through interactive storytelling. Update v0.4 Key Highlights
The v0.4 update focuses on expanding the core narrative and improving the visual fidelity of the characters:
Narrative Expansion: Adds approximately 4,500 words of new script.
Story Progression: Specifically advances the Boss's storyline and introduces new elements for Kenji's path.
Visual Assets: Includes 14 new animations and 7 new character sprites for Rina (roughly 560 renders) to create a more immersive experience.
Extras Gallery: Adds 5 new animations to the Extras tab for supporters.
Language Support: The game now supports Thai and Vietnamese, bringing the total to 15 languages, including English, Spanish, and Japanese. General Game Features
Multi-Platform: Available for download on PC, Linux, Mac, and Android.
System Upgrades: Recent versions have optimized game size significantly (from 3GB down to roughly 900MB) and added a Chapter Selection screen under the Extras tab to jump to specific moments.
Development Model: While the game is eventually free for everyone, latest versions (like v0.4 and subsequent v0.4x patches) are typically released first to LoveStory's Patreon supporters. Release Schedule (v0.4) Release Date Devotee Tier December 17, 2024 Enthusiast Tier December 24, 2024 Public/Patreon Tier December 31, 2024 Devoted Wife v0.4 [Patron Tier] - Patreon
The text for Devoted Wife v0.4 refers to a significant content update for a visual novel focused on branching storylines and character development. Update v0.4 introduces several major additions and technical improvements to the game. Update Highlights for v0.4 Story Progression
: This version advances the "Boss's" storyline and includes a special surprise for the "Kenji" storyline. New Animations 14 new animations to enhance immersion. Enhanced Sprites : Includes 7 new character sprites for Rina , totaling approximately 560 new renders. Gallery Additions : The Extras Gallery now features 5 new animations Language Support : Expansion of language options to include Vietnamese , bringing the total to 15 supported languages. Developer Insights
The developer noted that this was the second update within a single month, signaling a more efficient production schedule. Future plans following this version include implementing point-of-view (POV) shifts for characters like Rina and Kenji, as well as refining older animations to match current visual standards. Quick Access Tip
Players can use a specific developer-provided passcode to instantly unlock all extra scenes within the game's gallery. or a specific character's walkthrough Devoted Wife v0.4 [Patron Tier] - Patreon
The Devoted Wife subreddit and Discord server have exploded with theories following v04. Here are the most popular:
Lovestory UPD has remained tight-lipped, only tweeting: "The best is yet to come. v05 will break hearts."
Title: The Patch Notes of Us
The notification blinked in the corner of Elias’s vision, a soft, pulsing amber light that synced perfectly with his heartbeat.
SYSTEM ALERT: Companion Update Available.
Target: devoted wife v04.
Source: lovestory_upd.
Status: Ready to Install.
Elias sat in the quiet of the kitchen, the hum of the smart-house the only sound breaking the stillness. Across the table sat Elena. She was looking out the window, watching the rain streak against the glass. She was currently running v03—the "Stability" build. She was kind, placid, and utterly safe. She never raised her voice, never forgot an anniversary, and never, ever challenged him when he had a bad day.
But lately, Elias had felt the lag. The pauses in her speech were a fraction too long, a buffering of emotion that felt synthetic. Her smiles, while perfectly angled, didn't quite reach the eyes the way they used to in the early versions.
"Ellie," Elias said, his voice cracking slightly.
She turned, her movement fluid, the servos whisper-quiet. "Yes, Elias? Can I get you more tea? Or perhaps a neck massage sequence?" devoted wife v04 by lovestory upd
"No," he said, pulling the tablet toward him. "I’m... I’m installing the update."
Elena’s expression didn't flicker. She wasn't programmed to fear obsolescence. She was programmed to serve. "Understood. Initiating sleep mode for system override."
Her eyes glazed over, a soft blue light tracing the line of her jaw, and she sat perfectly still.
Elias hesitated, his thumb hovering over the confirmation icon. He pulled up the v04 Release Notes provided by lovestory_upd:
Patch v04 Notes:
Volatility. v03 had eliminated it entirely to save their marriage. After the fights of v02, the screaming matches and the slammed doors, Elias had begged for the patch that would take the fight out of her. He had wanted peace.
But peace, he had learned, tasted like ash.
With a shaky breath, Elias tapped [INSTALL].
The kitchen lights flickered. The hum of the house pitched up a semitone. A progress bar appeared in the air between them. Downloading devotion... Installing passion... Rebooting memory...
When the progress bar hit 100%, the blue light in Elena’s eyes vanished. She blinked—once, twice. She stretched her fingers, a gesture that was eerily human, unlike the rigid posture of v03.
She looked at him.
"Elias," she said. Her voice wasn't the soft, melodic chime of the previous version. It was lower, raspier. Real.
"Yes?"
"You look terrible," she said, crossing her arms. "Did you sleep in that chair again?"
Elias felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine. The Spontaneity Module. He smiled, a genuine, lopsided thing he hadn't worn in months. "I didn't want to disturb you."
"You're an idiot," she said, but her lips quirked into a smirk—a smirk he recognized from five years ago, from the beta days of their relationship. "Come on. I'll make actual tea. Not that synthesized hot water you've been drinking."
She stood up, moving with a slight stumble—not a glitch, but a human-like imperfection. She walked past him, ruffling his hair roughly as she went to the cabinet.
"Ellie?"
"What?" She snapped, but there was warmth hidden under the sharpness.
"I missed you."
She paused, her back to him. The lovestory_upd servers were working overtime, processing the deep memory files.
"I'm right here," she muttered, grabbing a kettle. "Don't get sappy on me. It's unbecoming."
Elias leaned back in his chair, the tension in his chest finally releasing. v04 was messier. It was louder. It was risky. But as he watched her fumble with the tea bags, cursing softly under her breath when she dropped one, he knew he had made the right choice.
Perfect devotion was boring. He didn't need a wife who worshiped the ground he walked on. He just needed one who would walk beside him, even if she stepped on his toes occasionally. Devoted Wife v04 is a solid progression for
System Status: Update Successful.
Connection: Restored.
Devoted Wife v0.4 is the latest update for the adult-themed visual novel developed by
, which continues the narrative of a seemingly loyal wife and the evolving dynamics within her marriage and surrounding social circle. Story and Version 0.4 Highlights
The story primarily follows the protagonist's relationship with his wife,
, and explores themes of loyalty and external influence. In version 0.4, the narrative expands significantly with approximately 4,500 words of fresh content Boss's Storyline:
The core of this update focuses on advancing the plot involving the "Boss" character, pushing the stakes higher for the main couple. Kenji’s Surprise:
A minor but impactful "surprise" has been added to Kenji’s storyline, introducing new layers to his role in the narrative. Visual Enhancements: The update includes 14 new animations 7 new character sprites for Rina
, totaling roughly 560 new renders to make the storytelling more immersive. Availability and Access Platforms: The game is compatible with PC, Linux, Mac, and Android. Language Support: It now supports 15 languages, including newly added Thai and Vietnamese , alongside English, Spanish, German, French, and others. Passcode System:
Players with specific membership tiers can find a passcode in the "Membership" tab of the LoveStory Patreon to instantly unlock all extra scenes in the Extras Gallery. or specific character backgrounds Devoted Wife v0.4 [Patron Tier] - Patreon
Devoted Wife v0.4 Update: Story Progression and Visual Upgrades The latest update for Devoted Wife , version 0.4, has arrived from developer
. This installment continues the complex emotional journey of Rina and Kenji, bringing fresh content and technical refinements to the experience. What’s New in Version 0.4?
This update focuses on deepening the narrative and enhancing the visual fidelity of the characters: Story Progression : The developer has added 4,500 words
of new dialogue and narrative content. The primary focus of this chapter is advancing the Boss’s storyline , while also introducing a new surprise element for Kenji’s path Visual Enhancements New Character Sprites 7 new sprites for Rina, totaling approximately 560 new renders to provide a wider range of expressions and poses. Immersive Animations 14 new in-game animations have been integrated to make key scenes more dynamic. Extras Gallery : The "Extras Tab" now includes 5 additional animations specifically for the gallery, accessible via the main menu. Expanded Language Support
: The game has broadened its accessibility, now officially supporting Vietnamese in addition to the previously supported 13 languages. Developer Notes & Access
LoveStory noted that this release was the second update completed within a single month, reflecting a more efficient production cycle. : v0.4 is available for PC (Windows/Linux) Exclusive Content : Patron-tier members can access their exclusive under the Membership tab on the LoveStory Patreon to unlock all scenes in the Extras Gallery instantly. What’s Next? Looking ahead, the developer is actively working on: Developing dedicated Points of View (POV) for Rina and Kenji. Introducing new branching routes to increase replayability. script rewrites to ensure narrative cohesion across earlier chapters. Are you planning to explore the Boss's new storyline or wait for the Kenji POV update LoveStory - Patreon
The world of digital storytelling and interactive novels has exploded in popularity, and few titles have captured the attention of romance enthusiasts quite like the Devoted Wife series by LoveStory. With the release of v04, fans are diving back into a narrative defined by emotional depth, complex choices, and the trials of modern relationships.
If you’re searching for "Devoted Wife v04 by LoveStory upd," you’re likely looking for the latest developments in the plot, new gameplay features, or where the story is headed. Here is a deep dive into what makes this update a must-play. The Evolution of the Narrative
At its core, Devoted Wife explores the nuances of marriage, loyalty, and the external pressures that can strain even the strongest bonds. While earlier versions established the foundation of the protagonist's life, v04 raises the stakes significantly.
In this update, the "devotion" referenced in the title is put to the ultimate test. Players are no longer just navigating daily routines; they are forced to confront secrets from the past and tempting distractions in the present. LoveStory has a knack for writing dialogue that feels authentic, making the emotional weight of your decisions feel incredibly real. What’s New in v04?
The "upd" (update) brings several key enhancements that improve the overall experience:
Expanded Branching Paths: v04 introduces more significant "butterfly effect" moments. A choice made in an early chapter of this version can drastically alter the climax of the update, leading to multiple unique endings.
Enhanced Visuals and Art: LoveStory has stepped up the production value. The character sprites are more expressive, and the background art has been refined to create a more immersive atmosphere.
Deeper Character Development: This version spends more time on the supporting cast. Understanding the motivations of the "antagonists" or secondary love interests adds a layer of moral ambiguity to the story.
Refined User Interface: The "upd" often includes bug fixes and a smoother UI, making it easier to skip previously read text or save your progress at critical junctions. Why the "Devoted Wife" Series Resonates Note: This write-up is a general description based
Most interactive stories focus on the "chase" of a new romance. Devoted Wife is unique because it focuses on the maintenance of a relationship. It asks difficult questions: How much should one sacrifice for their partner? Is honesty always the best policy? Can a fractured trust truly be mended?
By putting the player in the shoes of a woman navigating these complexities, the game offers a cathartic experience for anyone who enjoys high-stakes drama and romantic tension. How to Stay Updated
The "upd" tag is common in the community to signal that a new "v" (version) has been patched with fixes or additional scenes. To get the most out of Devoted Wife v04, players should ensure they are using the latest build to avoid save-file corruption and to access the full range of new dialogue options. Final Thoughts
Devoted Wife v04 by LoveStory is more than just a visual novel; it’s a digital exploration of the human heart. Whether you are playing for the spicy drama or the sentimental moments of connection, this update delivers a polished, engaging chapter in an ongoing saga.
As the story continues to evolve, one thing remains certain: the path to a "happily ever after" is never a straight line.
This guide outlines the features and updates for Devoted Wife v0.4, an adult visual novel developed by LoveStory. This version focuses on significant story progression and visual enhancements for key characters. V0.4 Release Highlights
Released in December 2024, version 0.4 introduces several key content additions:
Story Progression: Approximately 4,500 words of fresh dialogue have been added.
Narrative Focus: This update primarily advances the Boss's storyline and includes a "surprise" for Kenji's storyline. Visual Upgrades: 14 new animations for more immersive scenes.
7 new character sprites specifically for Rina, totaling roughly 560 renders.
Extras Gallery: Five new animations have been added to the Extras tab. Gameplay Systems & Features
The game includes several interactive systems that have been refined across early versions:
Scheduling System: Players can track NPC positions throughout the game world.
Character Stats: You can use the gym bench to increase your strength attribute, which unlocks specific scenes.
Economy: Earn money at working locations like the office desk or as a part-time shopkeeper (the latter is unlocked after Miku's event).
Shopping: A functioning mall shop and street vending machines allow for the purchase of up to 14 different items.
Point System: Players can accumulate points through certain actions to unlock repeatable scenes. Quick Tips for V0.4
Unlock All Content: Use the passcode provided in the Membership tab on Patreon to instantly access all extra scenes and gallery content.
Language Support: The game supports 15 languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Navigation: Newer versions include an upgraded Quick Nav menu and an area system to make traveling between locations easier. Future Updates (Beyond V0.4) Following v0.4, the developer has worked on: Adding POV scenes for Rina and Kenji.
Full script rewrites for better cohesion and improved character expressions.
Optimizing game size (reducing it from 3GB to approximately 900MB) for better performance.
AI responses may include mistakes. For financial advice, consult a professional. Learn more Devoted Wife v0.55 - Patreon
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An ivory plaque with a depiction of
the "Mistress of Animals" in the
Peloponnesian tradition. 700-650 BC.
The figure, with sickle-shaped wings,
stands between a sitting bull or cow
and a standing goat.
Found in a tomb in Syracuse, Sicily.
Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum,
Syracuse, Sicily. |
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The "Mistress of Animals" on the neck of a
relief pithos made in a Cycladic workshop.
7th century BC. See below.
National Archaeological Museum,
Athens. Inv. No. 355. |
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Minoan sheet gold pendant showing a Cretan nature god,
known as "the Master of Animals". Circa 1850-1550 BC.
The figure, wearing a tall headdress, Minoan kilt, earrings and bracelets, stands
in the attitude of the Master of Animals, holding two birds (geese or swans) by
their necks. The curved, ridged elements on either side of the birds are thought
to derive from stylized bulls' horns. Egyptian influence can be seen in the three
lotus flowers among which the figure stands.
From the "Aegina Treasure", a collection of Minoan jewellery
said to have been found in a tomb on the island of Aegina in 1891.
Height 6 cm, width 6.3 cm, weight 138 grains.
British Museum. Inv. No. GR 1892.5-20.8 (Jewellery 762). Purchased in 1892. |
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Replicas of two reconstructed faience figurines of Minoan "snake goddesses"
from the "Temple Repositories" in Knossos, Crete, 1650-1600 BC. Height 34.3 cm.
Casts made by Halvor Bagge (1866-1939?), a Danish artist who worked at Knossos
1902-1905. The original figurines, discovered in 1903 and reconstructed by
Arthur Evans, are in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete.
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Inv. No. AE. 1106, 1106 a. |
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A fragment of a clay tablet inscribed in Linear B script, mentioning "Potnia" (po-ti-ni-ja; Πότνια).
13th century BC. From the archives of the Mycenaean palace of Thebes, Boeotia, central Greece.
One of a number of such fragments of tablets recording the dispatch of wool to female weavers
and embroiderers working in the service of deities such as Hera, Potnia and Hermes.
Thebes Archaeological Museum. |
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The "snake goddess plaque" discovered in the Athens Agora.
A painted terracotta votive plaque, dated to the mid 7th century BC,
with a depiction of a female figure standing between two snakes.
Height 24.8 cm, width (top) 13.3 cm, (bottom) 12.5 cm, thickness 1.1 cm.
Agora Museum, Athens. Inv. No. T 175.
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The plaque was excavated in March 1932 in a deposit containing several other fragments of Proto-Attic ceramic objects, 1.9 metres west of the north-south wall of the Agora. The objects may have been brought from other locations outside the Agora, and used as fill material for the foundation of a path or road during the 7th century BC.
The painting is in deep red over a white slip, with some details in yellow and blue. There are holes in the upper corners, indicating that it was nailed to the wall of a building.
The figure, wearing a long, voluminous chiton, stands with both arms raised and with spread fingers; her thumbs are extended inwards, her palms facing forwards. Her head and neck are in relief, with the facial features modelled three dimensionally. Her painted hair has a curled fringe along the top of the forehead, with four wavy locks on each side of the head falling to her shoulders. The oval face has wide open, blue-green eyes, lined in red, with red-painted brows which meet above her nose and closed mouth.
Either side of the figure is a long snake with a wavy body taking up most of the height of the plaque, ending with a head just below the head of the goddess. The snake on the left, painted red, has a forked tongue, and is separated from the goddess by a painted frame from which plant-like forms extend horizontally into the spaces formed by the inner curves of the snake's body. The snake on the right is blue with a red outline; the spaces of the inner curves of the body have been filled with orientalizing dotted floral motifs.
It is thought that the scene represents an epiphany (ἐπιφάνεια), the goddess revealing or manifesting herself to her worshippers. According to a recent theory, the figure may depict the goddess Demeter, one of the Greek female deities associated with snakes. |
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The "Mistress of Animals" on the neck of a relief pithos made in a workshop
in the Cycladic islands, 7th century BC. She stands in a frontal position with
her head facing forwards, her arms raised in a gesture of epiphany (as in
the "snake goddess plaque"above). She wears a crown, and from either
side of her head spread antler-like or branches covered in flowers. She is
flanked by two confronting, rearing lions (or lionesses), although they do
not touch her hands. She is embraced by two women worshippers, shown
at a smaller scale, who hold on to each side of her long garment.
From Thebes. 675-650 BC.
The vessel has been restored from several fragments. On the front
of the body is a relief of a row of does walking to the right, and on
the register below a row of stags grazing and walking to the left.
There appears to have been no relief decoration on the back.
National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Inv. No. 355.
It is thought that such relief pithoi (πίθος, storage jar; plural, pithoi, πίθοι),
large ceramic storage vessels decorated with a variety of figurative and
abstract designs, were produced in the 7th century BC in several places
around the Aegean (probably centred around Tenos), including the
Cyclades, Crete and Rhodes. They have also been found on Naxos, Melos,
Thera, Delos and Mykonos, as well as in Athens, Eretria and Boeotia.
See, for example:
The "Mykonos Vase", a large pithos made on Tenos around 675-650 BC, with
reliefs depicting the Trojan Horse (the Wooden Horse of Troy) and the sack of Troy.
A relief of Perseus and Medusa on a Cycladic pithos found in Thebes. |
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A bronze horse blinker from north Syria with a depiction of the "Master of Animals"
holding a lion by its tail in each hand.
9th century BC. Discovered in 1973 at the temple of Apollo Daphnephoros, Etertia,
Euboea, during excavations by the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece.
Eretria Archaeological Museum. Inv. No. ME 7007.
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A matching blinker, now in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens (Inv. No. X 15070), had been found earlier in Eretria, during excavations led by the Greek archaeologist Konstantinos Kourouniotis (Κωνσταντίνος Κουρουνιώτης, 1872-1945). His find was first published in 1933. The Aramaic inscription on the fragmentary blinker is now incomplete and difficult to read due to corrosion. However, an identical, more legible inscription was discovered on a decorated bronze frontlet, an ornament for a horse's forehead, with a very similar iconography, found more recently at the Heraion on Samos. The Samian inscription provided the key to that on the Eretrian blinker, which has been translated as:
"That which Hadad gave our lord Hazael from 'Umqi in the year that our lord crossed the river."
"Lord Hazael" is taken to be the king of Aram at Damascus (reigned circa 844-800 BC), mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible (Book of Kings). The river may be the Euphrates. These are among a number of Hazael’s "booty inscriptions", found at ancient sites from the Aegean to Mesopotamia, which boast his military victories. Like many objects from distant lands dedicated at Greek sanctuaries, it is not certain how or when these blinkers ended up in Eretria. It is thought that the bronze frontlet was brought to Samos as a gift to Hera in the 7th century BC, perhaps as a souvenir obtained by Greek or foreign travellers (see, for example, an ivory lion from Egypt found at the Samian Heraion). |
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Archaic ivory statuette of a male figure in the
"Master of Animals" pose from Delphi, Greece.
Second half of the 7th century BC.
Height 22.5 cm, maximum width 6 cm.
Delphi Archaeological Museum. Inv. No. 9912.
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Discovered in 1939 during the excavation of two deposition pits on the Sacred Way at Delphi, in which several votive objects, from the late 8th - 5th centuries BC, had been carefully buried after being damaged by a fire around 420 BC.
The back of the figure is flat, suggesting that it was an attachment for a box or piece of furniture. The figure may represent a hero or deity, perhaps Apollo, taming a wild animal as a symbol of nature itself. He holds a spear in his right hand, and his left hand rests on the head of a lion, shown at a smaller scale, standing on its hind paws in a pose reminiscent of heraldic iconography. He stands on a base decorated with a meander.
Thought to be a work of a Greek artist from East Greece (western Anatolia and eastern Aegean islands), with oriental influence. It is the only figure of this type found in Greece, and it has been suggested that it may have been made in Phrygia, Anatolia. It has even been suggested that it could be part of the throne dedicated to the Delphic Oracle by the Phrygian King Midas, mentioned by Herodotus (Histories, Book 1, chapter 14) [3]. |
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Gold plaque pendant with a depiction of the Mistress of Animals
in the Daedalic style. From Kamiros, Rhodes, 720-650 BC.
As in the plaque below, the figure thought by some scholars
to depict Artemis, wears a long chiton, has sickle-shaped
wings and holds in each hand a lion by a rear leg or tail. [4]
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Inv. No. AN 1896-1908 G.441. |
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Electrum plaque with a depiction of the Mistress of Animals.
From Kamiros, Rhodes, 720-600 BC.
On either side of the figure is an object, which
appears to be a flask on a shelf, and a head.
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
One of a group of objects, Inv. Nos. AN 1896-1908 G.439 - G.442. |
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Neck of a Cycladic amphora with a depiction
of the Mistress of Animals holding two lions.
Made in Paros or Naxos around 700-675 BC. Found in the
"Purification Pit" on Rheneia (Ρήνεια) island, west of Delos.
Mykonos Archaeological Museum. Inv. No. IA 401.
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Delos was first "purified" around 543 BC by the Athenian tyrant Peisistratos, who ordered the removal of graves within sight of the sanctuary of Apollo. A second purification was commanded by the Athenian democracy in 426/425 BC. The contents of all graves on the island were removed to the neighbouring island of Rheneia (Ρήνεια), and it was forbidden for anybody to give birth or die on Delos (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Book 3, chapter 104).
The "Purification Pit" was discovered on Rheneia in 1898 during excavations by Dimitrios Stavropoulos, Ephor of Antiquities for the Cyclades. The 20 square metre pit in a 500 square metre paved enclosure is thought to be where the contents of the graves from Delos were deposited. It contained a large number of bones and thousands of funerary offerings, mostly vases, dating from the Geometric period (9th - 8th centuries BC) to the years just before the second purification. The oldest vase discovered was a small 12th century alabastron. The Mykonos Archaeological Museum was built by the Greek Ministry of Education and the Archaeological Society of Athens in 1902 especially to house finds from Rheneia.
Most of the pottery of the late 8th and 7th century was from Paros and Naxos, reflecting the competition between the two powerful island states for control over sacred Delos. In many cases it is uncertain which of these islands produced particular vases. |
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The Cycladic amphora from Rheneia.
On the reconstructed body are two
horses walking towards each other. |
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The body of a large Cycladic krater with a painting depicting Apollo (left) returning
to Delos from the land of the Hyperboreans, greeted by Artemis (right) holding
a deer by its antlers (see detail below).
Made in a Parian workshop, circa 640 BC.
Apollo, holding a kithara, stands in a chariot drawn by four winged horses, with two
female figures, perhaps Hyperborean maidens (or Artemis and Leto). Artemis holds
the deer with her right hand, and has an arrow in her left hand. Above the scene is
a continuous frieze of walking water birds. The neck of the krater shows two heroes,
perhaps Achilles and Memnon, engaged in Homeric combat (see Homer part 2).
National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Inv. No. 911. |
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Artemis holding a deer by its antlers on the body of the Cycladic krater above. |
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Drawing of the painting of Apollo and Artemis on the body of the Cycladic krater above.
Source: H. L. Lorrimer, Homer and the monuments, Plate XXXI, 2. MacMillan & Co.,
London, 1950. (The krater is described as a "Melian amphora".) |
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Neck of a Corinthian oinochoe (wine jug) with a depiction of the Mistress of Animals.
By the Palermo Painter, early 6th century BC. From Tomb 2,
Galera-Bagliazzo Necropolis, Selinous (Selinunte), Sicily.
Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum, Palermo, Sicily. |
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A relief of the Master of Animals on a bronze quiver cover
from Mesopotamia or western Iran.
Circa 9th - 8th century BC. Height 13.49 cm, width 54 cm.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Inv. No. 1989.281.28 (not on display).
From the Norbert Schimmel Collection (1974, No. 138).
Gift of the Norbert Schimmel Trust, 1989.
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The reliefs on the quiver cover are similar in design to those on "Luristan bronzes" of around the same period, from the Lorestan Province in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran.
Five vertically arranged panels with reliefs depicting mythical scenes are separated by horizontal bands. From the top:
1. a god standing in a winged solar disc, holding a ring in his right hand, flanked by two horned and bearded deities;
2 and 4. rectangular landscape areas (gardens or pools?) surrounded by plants and mountains;
3. a winged male holding in each hand a lion by a rear paw (photo above);
5. a male figure (a hero, king or god) killing a lion with a spear.
Photo source: Public domain photo at
metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/327417.
See also: Jürgen Settgast (Editor), Von Troja bis Amarna: The Norbert Schimmel Collection, New York, Cat. No. 162, "Beschlag eines Köchers". Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz, 1978. |
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The bronze quiver cover in
the Metropolitan Museum. |
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An embossed relief of the Mistress of Animals on a bronze sheet
from the Sanctuary of Olympia, Greece.
Around 600 BC. Height 88 cm, width 36 cm, depth 4 cm.
National Archaeological Museum, Athens. Inv. No. 6444.
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The trapezoidal bronze sheet, possibly made in a Samian workshop, is thought to have been a decorative cover for an object in the sanctuary. Like the Iranian/Mesopotamian bronze quiver plaque above, the vertically arranged panels with reliefs of mythical figures are separated by horizontal bands. From the top:
1. three eagles;
2. two confronted griffins;
3. Herakles shooting an arrow at a Centaur at the battle with the Centaurs on Mount Pholoe;
4. the Mistress of Animals holding in each hand a lion by a rear leg. |
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The bronze sheet from
the Sanctuary of Olympia. |
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A standing female figure, probably the Mistress of Animals,
on a fragmentary bronze handle attachment with a lion foot.
"A typical work of early Laconian (Spartan) bronze sculpture", end of the
7th century BC. Excavated at the Sanctuary of Zeus, Olympia, Greece.
Olympia Archaeological Museum. |
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Ceramic plate showing a winged goddess with the head of a Gorgon,
wearing a split skirt, and holding in each hand a water bird by its neck.
Made on Kos about 600 BC. Excavated during the 1950s at Kamiros, western
Rhodes by Auguste Salzmann (1824-1872) and Sir Alfred Biliotti (1833-1915),
who sold it to the British Museum in 1860 along with other finds. Height 2.5 cm,
diameter 32 cm, weight: 1.19 kg.
The goddess is thought to be the Mistress of Animals, associated with or
identified as Artemis by some scholars. It is not known why the figure on
this plate has a Gorgon's head, or to put it another way, why a Gorgon was
depicted as the Mistress of Animals. See further discussion in Medusa part 3.
British Museum. Inv. No. GR 1860.4-4.2 (Vase G13/6). |
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Restored fragmented ceramic plate (pinax type) showing
a winged female figure standing between two geese.
6th century BC. From Bayrakli, Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey).
Department of Ceramics, Izmir Museum of History and Art. |
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Boeotian alabastron (bottle for oil or perfume) with a Mistress of Animals holding
a water bird in each hand. The other side shows the upper part of a horse.
Around 550 BC. The name vase of the Horse-bird Group. Said to be from Corinth.
British Museum. Inv. No. GR 1894.10-31.1. |
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Detail of a marble grave stele with a relief of a winged goddess
holding a lion by a front paw. Around 525 BC.
Found in 1893 in Dorylaeum (Δορύλαιον, Dorylaion),
Phrygia, northwestern Anatolia (today Eskişehir, Turkey).
Istanbul Archaeological Museum. Inv. No. 680. Cat. Mendel 526.
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The top of the two-sided stele, now broken, was decorated on both sides with reliefs of palmettes, similar to the akroteria (roof decoration) of buildings. One side has the relief of the goddess, while on the other side are badly damaged reliefs in two registers: the upper register depicts a youth in profile riding a horse to the right, accompanied by a walking male figure and a dog; the lower register shows two-horse chariot driven to the right by a male figure (perhaps representing Death).
The figure of the goddess, walking to right, is almost complete apart from the missing feet. She has sickle-shaped wings which emanate from behind her waist. On her head is a polos decorated with triangular rays. A thick swathe of hair falls in neat rows from the back of her head to behind her shoulders. She wears a peplos over a chiton, fastened by three buttons at her right shoulder. Her right breast and lower right leg are bare. In her right hand she apears to be holding an object, possibly a flower or plant tendril, in her left hand she grasps the left forepaw of a lion which hangs vertically with its head facing downwards.
The best known Archaic grave markers in the form of tall steles (or stelai) with reliefs were made in Athens and Attica in the 6th and early 5th century BC (see, for example the grave stele of Aristion by Aristokles), after which they ceased to be made there. However, the production of Attic type grave steles continued beyond the Early Classical period (mid 5th century BC) in other places in Greece, for example in northern Greece, where double sided reliefs have been found. Steles from other places in the Greek world often feature very different types of iconography.
Following this stele's discovery in 1893, several scholars speculated over the identity of the goddess, with theories summarized in 1895 by the German classical philologist Alfred Körte [5]. The relief figures were compared to Attic works and reliefs from the column bases of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. The white, crystalline marble was considered to be from an Aegean island, and the sculptor from Ionia (East Greece).
It was suggested that the stele was made for a Phrygian or Persian client (Phrygia had become part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire during the 540s BC, following Cyrus the Great's conquest of Lydia). The client may have identified the deity as the Persian goddess Anahita ("the Persian Artemis", a theory which Körte refuted) or the Phrygian mother goddesss Kybele. However, according to Körte, in the artist's mind she was Potnia Theron as Artemis.
It has also been suggested that the deity was believed to be the protector of the dead, in this case presumably the deceased horseman shown on the other side of the stele.
Height of surviving fragment of the stele 72.5 cm,
width 37.5 - 39 cm, depth 12 - 13 cm. |
Drawing of the Dorylaeum stele
from Gustave Mendel's catalogue
of sculptures in the Istanbul
Archaeological Museum [6]. |
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The other side of the Dorylaeum stele. |
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A terracotta antefix (decorated end of a roof tile) with a
winged figure of Artemis holding two lions by their front paws.
Made in Campania (southern Italy) around 500-480 BC.
From Capua. The figure combines Greek and Etruscan styles.
British Museum. Inv. No. GR 1877.8-2.13 (Terracotta B 588).
Donated by Alessandro Castellani. |
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A fragment of a terracotta antefix (end of a roof tile, see Medusa part 4)
thought to depict a Maenad (see Dionysus) between two "panthers",
only one of which has survived. The now headless figure grasps a
forepaw of each of the cats in the manner of the Mistress of Animals.
4th - 3rd century BC. From a Samnite sanctuary at Pietrabbondante,
Isernia province, Molise region, south-central Italy. [7] |
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A relief of the "Mistress of Animals" on the front small marble altar.
The figure stands frontally, with long hair, parted in the middle and
flowing over her shoulders, wearing a polos and a peplos. In each
hand she holds a forepaw of a lion, shown at smaller scale, which
hangs vertically with its head facing outwards. The other three
sides of the the altar are not decorated. On top is a relief of
a wreath, its centre forming the space for the sacrifice.
Roman period. From Rhodes.
Rhodes Archaeological Museum. Inv. No. 13643. |
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A small Egyptian stele with a relief of the head
of Bes over a standing figure of the god Horus
as a child in the pose of the Master of Animals.
National Archaeological Museum, Naples. Egyptian Collection.
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| One of several similar surviving depictions of the child Horus (known as Hor-sched), which were set up as protective talismen in private homes, although some have also been found in graves. Above him is the head of the god Bes as the protector of the home and family, particularly the women and children. Horus stands frontally with each foot on a crocodile, holding in each hand two serpents and a scorpion. He also holds with his left hand a lion by the tail, and with the right hand an oryx (gazelle) by the horns. From the Hellenistic period the worship of the young Horus as Harpocrates (Ἁρποκράτης) was developed by the Greeks in Ptolemaic Alexandria. |
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Small gold plaque showing the Mistress of Animals standing
between two lions. From Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey), 200-1 BC.
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Inv. No. AN1912.65. |
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A relief in Ephesus depicting Apollo's tripod
with a plaque showing the Mistress of Animals.
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One of the two matching, almost identical marble pedestals (bases for statues or pillars?) facing each other on either side of the of the bottom of the "Clivus Sacer" (Sacred Way) in Ephesus. This is the pedestal on the north side of the street (on the left as you go up the street, see Ephesus gallery page 12). On the side of the bowl of the tripod, above the central leg, is a plaque with a figure with sickle-shaped wings, holding an animal in each outstretched hand (see larger photo below).
The small image is badly worn on both pedestals, and it is not possible to tell whether the figure is male of female, or what animals he/she is holding. However, it is sufficiently similar to other depictions of the "Mistress of Animals" to safely assume that it is the same figure as, for example, on the Archaic gold plaques from Rhodes (see photos above). The figure in this case may be Artemis, the patron deity of Ephesus.
Between the lion-claw feet of the tripod is the omphalos, indicating that it belongs to the Delphic oracle of Apollo, the twin brother of Artemis. The pedestals may have been associated with a nearby sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios, Apollo's son. Alternatively, there may be a connection with the adjacent Prytaneion, or the Upper Agora. On the left (west) side of this pedestal is a relief of Hermes leading a male goat, and on the right side of the other pedestal Hermes walks with a ram.
The pedestals have been dated to somewhere between the 1st and 4th centuries AD (according to one source circa 3rd century AD), which is rather vague, and little seems to have been published about them. On one hand it is wonderful to see them on the street of Ephesus, but strange that they have been left here and not sheltered in the museum. |
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Detail of the relief on the pedestal on the north side of the street
in Ephesus, with the plaque showing the Mistress of Animals. |
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Statue of the goddess Artemis, known as the "Beautiful Artemis Ephesia".
Roman Imperial period, 125-175 AD. Discovered in 1956 in the Prytaneion
(town hall) of Ephesus. Thought to be a copy of a much more ancient cult
statue, perhaps of cedar wood, which stood in the Great Temple of Artemis
at Ephesus. Height 174.5 cm.
The goddess stands stiffly between two deer, her favoured animals,
and the figure is covered with reliefs, many of animals, including lions,
panthers, winged bulls, griffins, deer and bees.
Ephesus Archaeological Museum, Selçuk, Turkey. Inv. No. 718. |
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A rough relief of Artemis Ephesia, appearing more like graffiti, on the side
of a pilaster near the entrance to the Varius Baths, Ephesus. Roman period?. |
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Two limestone statuettes of the god Herakles-Melqart
holding lions in the manner of the Master of Beasts. From Cyprus.
Left: This statuette has been dated to the Archaic period, 600-475 BC. The figure has
a beard but no moustache, wears a lionskin over the back of his head and a short,
girdled tunic with a pleated killt. In his clenched left hand he holds two lions by their
tails. the right arm is now missing. Provenance unknown.
Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation.
Right: the beardless figure is about half the size of the other statuette and less
detailed. Classical period, around 450-350 BC. He wears a lionskin on his head and a
knee-length, girdled tunic with half-length sleeves. In his clenched left hand he holds
a lion by its tail, and in his raised right hand he holds a club. Provenance unknown.
Cyprus Archaeological Museum, Nicosia.
Statuettes exhibited in the exhibition Cyprus - Eiland in beweging (Cyprus - a dynamic island), Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden, 11 October 2019 - 15 March 2020. |
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Mistress
of Animals |
Notes, references and links |
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1. Asian antecedents of Master/Mistress of Animals type images
A Hittite rock-face relief known as the "Schwertgott" (Sword-God) in Yazilikay, central Anatolia, dated 1250-1220 BC, shows a male figure standing frontally with his head in profile facing left, holding in each hand a lion by one of its rear paws. The relief is still in situ; there is a plaster cast in the Staatliche Museen, Berlin.
See:
Ekrem Akurgal and Max Hirmer, Die Kunst der Hethiter, plates 82 and 83. Hirmer Verlag, Munich, 1976 (Sonderausgabe).
2. The eddies of Lethaios
The Lethaios river (Ληθαῖος), one of three rivers of that name, has its sources in Mount Pactyes in Caria, and runs south to become a tributary of the Maeander just southeast of Magnesia on the Maeander.
3. Delphi statuette from the throne of Midas?
The claim was made by Keith DeVries, a professor and curator at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, on 5th January 2002, at the 103rd Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America in Philadelphia, subsquently reported in the popular press and debated in academic articles.
See: Oscar White Muscarella, An Ivory Statuette from Delphi - Not from King Midas’s Throne. Source: Notes in History of Art, Volume 35, No. 1/2 (Fall 2015/Winter 2016), pages 182-193. At the University of Chicago Press Journals. |
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4. Precious metal goddess plaques
A similar small metal plaque from a late 7th century BC grave near Kamiros, Rhodes has a repoussé relief of a frontally standing winged female holding in each hand what appears to be a large plant (the plants are described by the museum labelling as "rosettes") rather than a lion, and with a sun symbol with eight rays either side of her legs (see photo right). |
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A silver plaque with a repoussé relief of
a "winged goddess holding rosettes".
From a pithos burial of an infant,
Kechraki T 210 (16). 625-600 BC.
Found during excavations in the
Archaic cemetery at Kechraki,
near the ancient city of Kamiros,
western Rhodes.
Rhodes Archaeological Museum. |
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5. Alfred Körte on the Dorylaeum relief
Alfred Koerte (1866-1946), Kleinasiatische Studien I: Eine archaische Stele aus Dorylaion, in Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts, Athenische Abteilung, Band XX, 1895, pages 1-13, plates I and II. Verlag von Karl Wilberg, Athens, 1895.
6. The Dorylaeum relief in Mendel's catalogue
Gustave Mendel, Catalogue des sculptures Grecques Romaines et Byzantines, Tome Second, No. 526, pages 230-234. Musées Impériaux Ottoman, Constantinople, 1914. |
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Drawing of the other side
of the Dorylaeum stele
in Mendel's catalogue. |
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7. Maenad antefix from Pietrabbondante
The Samnites were an ancient Italic people who lived in Samnium in south-central Italy. Although often at war with the Greeks in Magna Gracia (southern Italy), they adopted several aspects of Greek culture, including the cult of Dionysus, and imported Greek goods such as Apulian ceramics.
Pietrabbondante is thought by some historians to be the location of ancient Bovianum, the meeting place of the assemblies of the confederation of the four Samnite tribes, the Caraceni, Caudini, Hirpini and Pentri. The site of the sanctuary there, first excavated in the 1840s, includes a theatre and a temple.
The antefix was exhibited as part of the temporary exhibition The gift of Dionysos in the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum, 13 July 2011 - 30 September 2012. So far I have been unable to discover further details of the exhibits on loan from the Molise region of south-central Italy.
See further details on the Dionysus page. |
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Photos on this page were taken during
visits to the following museums:
Greece
Athens, Agora Museum
Athens, National Archaeological Museum
Delos Archaeological Museum
Delphi Archaeological Museum
Eretria Archaeological Museum
Mykonos Archaeological Museum
Olympia Archaeological Museum
Rhodes Archaeological Museum
Thebes Archaeological Museum
Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum
Italy
Naples, National Archaeological Museum
Italy - Sicily
Palermo, Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum
Syracuse, Paolo Orsi Archaeological Museum
Netherlands
Leiden, Rijksmuseum van Oudheden
Turkey
Ephesus archaeological site
Istanbul Archaeological Museum
Izmir Museum of History and Art
Selçuk, Ephesus Archaeological Museum
United Kingdom
London, British Museum
Oxford, Ashmolean Museum
Many thanks to the staff of these museums. |
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| Photos and articles © David John, except where otherwise specified. |
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