Internet Archaeol. 31. Durham. Animals and birds

Apart from the human figures there is a wide array of animals, birds and mythological creatures. A full list of the animals and birds is given in Table 5. The depictions of animals and birds, like those of the deities, vary in quality from realistic to highly stylised pieces, and the attention to detail on some pieces indicates that they were of no less value or importance than those of deities or humans. It has been suggested that some of the small animal figurines might be toys or ornaments (e.g. Green 1978, 26; Toynbee 1964, 116), but their association with many deities and use as important symbols of prosperity, healing, fertility, rebirth and the underworld means that many probably had a religious or votive role.

Table 5: Types of birds and animals
Type	Number	Percentage
Boar	25	8.6
Apis bull	2	0.7
Three-horned bull	7	2.4
Bull	6	2.1
Cat	1	0.3
Crocodile	1	0.3
Dog	30	10.3
Dolphin	5	1.7
Fish	1	0.3
Frog	2	0.7
Goat	25	8.6
Hare	3	1.0
Horse	19	6.6
Lion	6	2.1
Lizard	2	0.7
Mouse	6	2.1
Panther	8	2.8
Ram	11	3.8
Snake	9	3.1
Stag (or deer)	9	3.1
Tortoise	2	0.7
Cockerel	44	15.2
Dove	4	1.4
Duck	3	1.0
Eagle	38	13.1
Goose	3	1.0
Ibis	1	0.3
Owl	4	1.4
Peacock	2	0.7
Pigeon	3	1.0
Raven	3	1.0
Unidentified	5	1.7
Total	290
Sphinx	6

Many animals or birds are particularly associated with one or sometimes more than one deity, such as the cockerel, ram and goat with Mercury, the panther with Bacchus, or the goose with Juno. In a number of cases deities are depicted with these creatures, and it is possible that some of the individual pieces were once attached to groups. The large numbers of those creatures associated with Mercury, whether once attached to a group or not, is perhaps not surprising given his popularity.

3.35 Animals and birds