Cupra (goddess)
Cupra was a chthonic fertility goddess of the ancient pre-Roman population of the Piceni and the Umbri, and may have been associated with Etruscan Uni.
Dedications to her have been found at Plestia and Ripatransone, and in Cupramontana and Cupra Marittima, which are named after her.
Etymology
The name Cupra has been connected to the Ancient Greek word wikt:Κύπρις and the Sabine term wikt:ciprum.Mythology
Worship of Cupra is well-attested throughout Picenum and the broader Apennine region. Her worship is primarily concentrated at locations associated with trade and communication, the same routes through which her cult likely spread. One Umbrian language inscription mentioning Cupra was uncovered in Colfiorito, where the sanctuary of the goddess was probably situated by a lake near the modern church of S. Maria di Pistia. Though the lake has since dried, it is evidenced by geological features of the landscape, and it is also probably to be identified with the lacus Plestinus mentioned in Roman sources. According to the archaeologist Eleanor Betts, it is likely that the cult of Cupra was brought into Colfiorito by Picene merchants and traders, whose activity at the site is further attested by the concurrent increases in the wealth of settlement, which likely occurred as a result of increased economic activity and trade with the Piceni. Betts further suggests that, besides overseeing commerce and communication, Cupra was perhaps connected in some manner to sacred water, as—according to Betts—the spring near her temple would likely have served as an important supply of water for the local community. Another Umbrian language inscription mentioning Cupra, which is generally dated to the 2nd-century BCE, was uncovered at the site of Fossato di Vico. The inscription dedicated a cistern to the goddess, perhaps further supporting the possible connection between the divinity and the water supply.Excavations at Cupra Marittima revealed a wide and long votive pit cut into bedrock, with a maximum depth of. The arrangement of the artifacts within this pit may indicate that the area was once filled with water, which itself perhaps derived from the spring of the Fosso di Sant’Andrea. This pit contained one thousand artifacts, including incense burners, miniature ovens, spoons, ladles, ornaments such as beads or pendants, and several unidentified items, some of which may consist of miniature boundary Cippus. Additionally, there were also miniaturized versions of vessels such as jars, two-handled cups, and biconical vases, all of which imitate types of containers used to store liquid. These miniature vessels are stylistically similar to other Italian pottery that is itself dated to between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, perhaps implying a similar date for the votive pit. Moreover, there are other parallel examples of close proximity between miniature vessels and springs throughout in Picenum and caves in Abruzzo and Emilia-Romagna. Evidence from other Italian cult places may attest to a perceived connection between death and springs, a notion perhaps reflected at Marittima, as the vessels at this site are typologically similar to items discovered in tombs at Marittima and other areas such as Ripatransone and Grottammare. These vessels may indicate that the site, and therefore perhaps Cupra herself, were connected to rituals associated with purification and the transition into the afterlife. However, according to the Betts, the connection between this site and Cupra is uncertain, as it rests largely upon the existence of later sanctuary sites at Marittima dedicated to the goddess.