Il dio profetico aviforme dei. Ligures Friniates (Appennino modenese)

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In the valley of Ospitale (Modena province), in two sites where there is the greatest concentration of Ligurian inscriptions, the divine name Istios is associated with birds and the god himself is depicted as a bird-headed anthropomorphic. Functions of oracular and martial god were attributed to him and it was probably thought that he could appear in the form of a bird. The name Istios « that of growth (> of youth in age suitable to be a soldier) » is a synonym of Toutatis, appellation of the Gaulish Mars. The Ligurian god is also called B^hob^hul « Young adult » and his responses to the augurs are incitements to rise against Rome. Such a god recalls both the Latin Pīcus « Woodpecker », son of Saturn and father of Faun ‒ oracular he too ‒ and some Celtic deities that have names of birds and can assume an ornithomorphic appearance.