Cover Story
The gods of Dura-Europos From the worship of local Syrian protector gods to Christianity, many different religions flourished in the cosmopolitan crossroads city of Dura-Europos. Jen Baird brings us face to face with the diverse divine through the art of this ancient site. Features
Making a splash How did water go from being something to fear to a place of privilege in Greece and Rome? Karen Eva Carr plunges into the cultural history of swimming. 
Secrets of their craft Many metalworkers and ceramicists in Renaissance Europe seemingly had no qualms about killing a lizard – or other animal – for their art. Pamela Smith investigates the intriguing practice of… 
All creatures great and small Animal art over thousands of years paints a picture of the ways we live with and study different species, from Roman hunting hounds to swarms of bees, as Lucia Marchini… 
Visions of Mary Magdalene In early Christian art, Mary Magdalene was a key figure in the Resurrection of Christ, as first witness and ‘apostle to the apostles’. Diane Apostolos-Cappadona explores how her significance was… 
Eleusinian Mysteries Eleusis – modern Elefsina – is in the spotlight as European Capital of Culture. Dalu Jones visits its ancient remains to enter the realm of the Eleusinian Mysteries, secret rites… News
Moche murals revealed Archaeologists working at the Moche site of Pañamarca, which is in western Peru, have uncovered intriguing depictions of a two-faced figure among the murals of its pillared hall. The lower… 
Drug-testing prehistoric hair Strands of human hair from the Bronze Age burial and cult-cave of Es Càrritx in Menorca have been analysed, providing the first direct evidence of ancient drug-use in Europe. Around… Views
On show: exhibitions from around the world Museum, What's on The dates listed below may have changed since we went to print. Check the websites of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings. 
Gonbad-e QĀbus, 1934 The Picture Desk To explore the Conway Library’s photographs online, visit https://photocollections.courtauld.ac.uk. Image: courtesy The Conway Library, Courtauld Institute of Art As he made his journey through the green steppe, Robert Byron (1905-1941)… Reviews
On show: exhibitions from around the world The dates listed below may have changed since we went to print. Check the websites of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings. 
The Cambridge Companion to Thucydides Review by Diana Bentley Nearly two and a half millennia after it was written, Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War not only remains vibrantly alive and regularly referred to in… 
Great Kingdoms of Africa Review by Nigel Fletcher-Jones This volume brings together eight historians of Africa under the editorship of John Parker (formerly at SOAS, University of London) to discuss the origins and structure… 
Corpus of Indus Seals and Inscriptions: Volume 3.3 Review by Andrew Robinson The Indus civilisation – which flourished c.2500-1900 BC – was about twice the size of its equivalent in Egypt or neighbouring Mesopotamia. In its own way,… 
From the editor
Among the many gods and goddesses worshipped at the ancient crossroad city of Dura-Europos was Atargatis. It is probably this enigmatic goddess whom we see in the relief on our cover, wearing a wall-like crown that represents her role as protectress of the city. It was found in a building known as the Temple of Adonis, where Arsu, Atargatis, Apollo, and Adonis were all honoured through inscriptions or images. This rich mix of deities is reflected in art across the pluralistic city, with soldiers depicted sacrificing to Syrian gods who had been integrated into the Roman army religion, and private houses adapted into religious buildings with Christian and Jewish wall paintings, as Jen Baird writes.
The Christian wall paintings at Dura-Europos include a fragmentary scene showing a procession of women, once thought to be holy women (Mary Magdalene among them) approaching the tomb of Christ. We return to the site later in the issue to start our tour of early Christian depictions of the Magdalene with Diane Apostolos-Cappadona.
Elsewhere, Dalu Jones takes us on a journey along the Sacred Way to the Greek site of Eleusis, home to a famous mystery cult whose initiates carried out secret nocturnal rites related to Demeter and the abduction of Persephone. Then Karen Eva Carr guides us through the differing perceptions of swimming in the ancient world, exploring how it was used not only to cool off, but to appear cool.
We also have a pair of articles looking, in different ways, at the relationship between art and the natural world. First, Pamela Smith shares insights into the fascinating but gory practice of life-casting, through which early modern artists could imitate the generative and transformative power of nature. Their recipes were written down in manuals that tell us much about the role of experimentation, the use of the human body, and attitudes toward practical craftwork. Later, we look at images of dogs and other animals, in paintings, sculptures, and books that show our enduring preoccupation with different species.
Due to rising costs, this will be the last issue of Minerva published for the foreseeable future, and so the last time I introduce you to an issue. I started writing for Minerva under Lindsay Fulcher in 2014, and it has been a pleasure following in her footsteps
as editor, learning from and travelling vicariously through the work of our authors.
My thanks go to everyone who has worked on and contributed to Minerva – and to you, our loyal readers.
Lucia Marchini
