October 20, 2025 • 14 mins
This dancing Satyr—half goat, half man, all prankster—is on the move, sealing important documents that travel across Etruria, a pre-Roman civilization. With his good-luck scarab on his back, he travels to help a birthday girl’s wish come true and only gets them into a little bit of trouble playing “hide the sheep.”
This podcast uses episode-specific artwork. If you don’t see an image of the satyr scarab gem with this episode, you may have to turn on this setting in your podcast app.
For a listening guide, a coloring sheet, images, and more, visit getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Announcer (00:00):
This is a Getty
podcast.
Host (00:05):
Signed, sealed, delivered—today a special gem
shares some important news!
Welcome to If Objects CouldTalk, a podcast where art
and artifacts get to leavethe museum vault and tell
their side of the story.
Thanks for joining us as webring objects into the light!
(00:27):
How would your bestfriend describe you?
Are you responsible?
A party animal?
Maybe a little bit of both?
Well today we meet a satyrwho is half man, half
goat, and all storyteller.
Satyrs are mythical woodlandcreatures known for their love
(00:49):
of parties—and for playing theoccasional trick on people.
Our guest might love a goodtime, but he can be serious
when he needs to be, becausehe had an important job
to do (01:01):
sealing letters and official documents in wax.
Before tape or that weirdenvelope glue you have to
lick, wax and seals keptprivate papers private.
OK, enough background, let'sget this podcast party started!
Satyr (01:25):
Whoa, dudes, most excellent to make
your acquaintance.
It’s a really bigdeal to be here.
No one ever lets me talk.
Apparently, I havea gnarly accent.
I’ll need to be done in liketen because it’s my turn
to DJ, and I can finallyplay some sweet oldies.
(01:49):
Speaking of oldies,let's talk about me!
I’m carved into anoval-shaped gemstone, over
two thousand years old.
I’m made of cornelian whichis a type of red-orange
gem or maybe orange-red?
Anyway, my gem is aboutthe size of a small
(02:11):
button on a fancy shirt.
One side of the gemstone is me!
I’m a Satyr, which isabsolutely so sick.
I’ve got the head and torsoof a dude, but the legs of
a goat and the ears, tail,and horns of a goat, too!
(02:32):
Ha-ha nice!
Gimmie five man.
I think the gem engravergot my good side.
I’m doing this cool satyrdance called sikinnis.
I’m just kinda prancingaround like a goat.
Satyrs are nature spiritsknown for having a good time,
(02:56):
so it absolutely checks outthat I’d be busting a move.
The scene of me dancing isframed by a dotted border
which is a nice touch.
But wait!
There’s more!
On my opposite side,the gemstone is shaped
like a scarab beetle.
Say “what's up?”, beetle buddy!
Scarab (03:17):
[buzzing] How do you do?
Satyr (03:20):
Bro!
I love that guy!
Scarabs represent protection,which I need, because sometimes
I like to have a little toomuch fun playing tricks, and my
little beetle buddy is alwayscoming in clutch with the assist
before I land in hot water...orshould I say hot wax?!
Right, dude?
Scarab (03:41):
Indubitably.
Satyr (03:42):
Aw, was that a sneeze?
Bless you, beetle buddy!
Me and the scarab weren'tjust created to look
good—which would be totallyfair—we also had a job.
We had to seal importantmessages so that A: recipients
knew the messages were froma specific person and 2: the
(04:04):
message was secure like a vault!
If the seal was broken, you’dknow someone had peeked inside!
Totally bogus.
Because the scarab was theprotection side, he was the
one worn facing out on a ring.
When a message or documentneeded to be sealed,
the gem flipped, andthe engraved side—me—was
(04:28):
stamped in the hot wax.
I didn’t like that part, dude.
Not cool, very hot actually!
Yep, that’s probably why I’mleaping and twirling, because
I’m doing my “too hot” dance!
Yeah, I’ve been in Cali forawhile, but I'm originally
from Etruria, a pre-Romancivilization from around the
(04:51):
areas where Tuscany is today.
Geographically, it’s thetop of the Italian boot
and dooooooown the middle.
[laughs] The Etruscanswere so awesome.
Lots things you loveabout the Romans?
They got it from the Etruscans.
Gladiator games!
(05:11):
Togas!
Divination using animal organs!
The Etruscans did it first.
Yeah, even that!
The military celebrationafter a triumph in battle
is soooooo Etruscan, dude.
We may have been first in thosethings, but everybody borrows
(05:32):
from everybody, especially ifyou’re on a trade route like
many parts of Etruria were.
My little beetle buddy?
Totally Egyptian, dude.
Yep, brought to Etruria by wayof the Greeks and Phoenicians.
Hey, I’ve got a great idea!
Let’s talk abouthow we were made!
(05:53):
Oh, it’s so sick, bro.
Check this out:
First a gem was selectedand cut into a small shape.
The Etruscans liked cornelianbecause it’s gorgeous and
it didn’t stick to the hotwax when sealing a document.
They used teeny tiny drills—likehand-powered ones, not electric
(06:15):
or battery powered likeyou might have at home—and
dipped them into a mixtureof olive oil and powder
made from even harder gems.
This let the craftsmen carvethe stone in the finest detail.
The carving on the underside ofthe gemstone, which would rest
against the body, was calledan intaglio, or sunken image.
(06:38):
These scenes were usuallymythological heroes
or creatures like me!
Scarab gemstones couldbe unique to the wearer
and would highlight afamily’s name or specific
characteristics of the owner.
My guy was a partyanimal, so that tracks!
(07:02):
I'm curious, if you wrote amessage to someone, and you
didn’t use your name on thepaper, how would they, like,
know the message was from you?
What would your seal be?
Maybe a mermaid becauseyou love to swim?
Or a cookie becauseyou could eat those for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Whoa, let's just takea second to think about
(07:26):
all the possibilities.
Now, can you draw your new seal?
Then you can write a letterto a friend or family member
telling them about your sealand why it represents you.
Speaking of being yourself,let me tell you about
Velia and her Uncle Nico.
(07:47):
Now, Nico knew howto have a good time.
He was the life of theparty, dude, like me!
Nico was the proud uncleof a lovely niece, Velia.
She was the ambitious,hardworking type.
Velia hoped to be a modelEtruscan woman when she
grew up—maybe buy someproperty, head up her own
(08:10):
family, and even speak loudlyat the occasional party.
Those Etruscan womencould be powerful, dude!
For Velia’s twelfth birthday,all she really wanted was
for her uncle to do an honestday’s work...and a donkey.
They could use oneon their family farm.
(08:31):
But she didn’t wantjust any donkey.
She wanted a donkey that shehad seen a few months ago
when traveling for a wedding.
The donkey lived nearlyhalf a day’s journey away!
She made her birthday requestcomplicated on purpose, bro!
She tasked Uncle Nico withgetting her the donkey, and with
her parents’ permission, sheplanned on making the trip, too.
(08:54):
Several days later, and armedwith a bill of exchange sealed
by yours truly, Velia andUncle Nico set off to get that
beast of burden in exchangefor two old, fluffy sheep.
Me and Beetle Buddywent with them.
Etruscans traded betweencities all the time so we just
followed the Etruscan road!
(09:16):
Velia was like, so impressedwith her Uncle for being willing
to make this birthday trip.
He regaled her with tales ofthe cities he had traveled
to, and she taught himthat it was probably not a
good idea to eat just anyberry he found on a bush.
Half-way through, theywere ready for a rest stop.
So they moved off the roadand snacked on the figs
(09:39):
and olives they’d brought.
Your classic ancientroad trip snacks.
Then Uncle
Nico daydreamed a while.
Velia took a littlenap and dream-dreamed.
Peaceful, you know?
But, it wouldn't be a goodstory if there wasn't a
little bit of drama right?
So I decided to play alittle game of hide the
(10:02):
sheep and encouraged one togo for a little walkabout.
[laughs] It was going tobe so funny to see them
looking for that fluffy guy!
I love a harmlessprank on the open road!
Velia woke up and noticedthat they were down a
sheep, and boy was she mad!
She totally blamed her unclewho could have easily watched
(10:25):
the clouds and the sheep!
With one sheep, one uncle,and one dashing satyr-scarab
duo, Velia led the chargeto find the missing sheep.
At the edge of the clearingwhere they had been resting
(10:45):
was a deep, dark forest.
With the lost sheep nowherein sight, Velia, true Etrsucan
leader that she was, figured itwas time to check the forest.
Velia and Uncle Nico were deepinto their search when all of
a sudden we heard rustling.
(11:05):
We all got pretty excitedbecause we figured it was that
fluffy sheep and we could grabhim and laugh at my funny trick.
Not so, my dudes.
It was a wild boar.
A big one!
The boar stared at usand we stared at him.
The boar charged andUncle Nico and Velia ran
(11:29):
as fast as they could.
As they neared the forest’sedge, Velia grabbed Uncle Nico's
hand and pointed at the steeprocks ahead past the clearing.
They just had toreach higher ground!
Boars are notoriouslybad rock climbers.
Once they made it to therocks, Uncle Nico climbed
up first and then yanked upVelia by the arm, but the
(11:51):
boar was still right there atthe bottom waiting for them!
Nico thought fast and threwdown his figs and a sliver
of Velia's birthday honeycake he’d been saving.
The boar devoured themin seconds and then left!
It’s like all it wantedwas a little treat!
(12:11):
Insane!
Velia
looked at her Uncledifferently from then on.
He wasn’t just a cool, ifsomewhat irresponsible,
party animal.
He was the guy who stayedcalm in a crisis and
could think on his feet.
And he was also the Unclewilling to make sure
she got exactly what shewanted for her birthday.
(12:35):
At this point, all shewanted was to go home.
They could check out thedonkeys in the neighborhood.
Oh, you wanna know whathappened to the lost sheep?
Ha, dude!
From the rock formation theyspotted him easily, on the other
side of the rock fast asleep.
(12:57):
So much for my “harmlessprank,” right? We never even
had to go into that forest!I did feel bad, but I learned
a valuable lesson (13:04):
don’t play hide the sheep on a
business slash birthday trip!
Well hey, this has beentotally chill, but it’s
time to play my set, dude.
Maybe next time you cancome sit in on a sesh.
Later!
Host (13:28):
I hope you enjoyed learning about satyrs and
Etruria!
Join us next time when ahorse unlocks a mystery.
To see photographs of thesatyr gem and learn more,
visit our website at Gettydot edu slash podcasts.
This episode was writtenby Tocarra Elise and
(13:50):
produced by Zoe Goldman.
Isaac Robinson-Smithvoiced the satyr.
Theme music, mixing and sounddesign by Alexandra Kalinowski.
Christopher Sprinkleis executive producer.
Special thanks to curatorsKen Lapatin, Judith
Barr, and Hana Sugioka.
Catch you next time!
This is a Getty
podcast.
Host (00:05):
Signed, sealed, delivered—today a special gem
shares some important news!
Welcome to If Objects CouldTalk, a podcast where art
and artifacts get to leavethe museum vault and tell
their side of the story.
Thanks for joining us as webring objects into the light!
(00:27):
How would your bestfriend describe you?
Are you responsible?
A party animal?
Maybe a little bit of both?
Well today we meet a satyrwho is half man, half
goat, and all storyteller.
Satyrs are mythical woodlandcreatures known for their love
(00:49):
of parties—and for playing theoccasional trick on people.
Our guest might love a goodtime, but he can be serious
when he needs to be, becausehe had an important job
to do (01:01):
sealing letters and official documents in wax.
Before tape or that weirdenvelope glue you have to
lick, wax and seals keptprivate papers private.
OK, enough background, let'sget this podcast party started!
Satyr (01:25):
Whoa, dudes, most excellent to make
your acquaintance.
It’s a really bigdeal to be here.
No one ever lets me talk.
Apparently, I havea gnarly accent.
I’ll need to be done in liketen because it’s my turn
to DJ, and I can finallyplay some sweet oldies.
(01:49):
Speaking of oldies,let's talk about me!
I’m carved into anoval-shaped gemstone, over
two thousand years old.
I’m made of cornelian whichis a type of red-orange
gem or maybe orange-red?
Anyway, my gem is aboutthe size of a small
(02:11):
button on a fancy shirt.
One side of the gemstone is me!
I’m a Satyr, which isabsolutely so sick.
I’ve got the head and torsoof a dude, but the legs of
a goat and the ears, tail,and horns of a goat, too!
(02:32):
Ha-ha nice!
Gimmie five man.
I think the gem engravergot my good side.
I’m doing this cool satyrdance called sikinnis.
I’m just kinda prancingaround like a goat.
Satyrs are nature spiritsknown for having a good time,
(02:56):
so it absolutely checks outthat I’d be busting a move.
The scene of me dancing isframed by a dotted border
which is a nice touch.
But wait!
There’s more!
On my opposite side,the gemstone is shaped
like a scarab beetle.
Say “what's up?”, beetle buddy!
Scarab (03:17):
[buzzing] How do you do?
Satyr (03:20):
Bro!
I love that guy!
Scarabs represent protection,which I need, because sometimes
I like to have a little toomuch fun playing tricks, and my
little beetle buddy is alwayscoming in clutch with the assist
before I land in hot water...orshould I say hot wax?!
Right, dude?
Scarab (03:41):
Indubitably.
Satyr (03:42):
Aw, was that a sneeze?
Bless you, beetle buddy!
Me and the scarab weren'tjust created to look
good—which would be totallyfair—we also had a job.
We had to seal importantmessages so that A: recipients
knew the messages were froma specific person and 2: the
(04:04):
message was secure like a vault!
If the seal was broken, you’dknow someone had peeked inside!
Totally bogus.
Because the scarab was theprotection side, he was the
one worn facing out on a ring.
When a message or documentneeded to be sealed,
the gem flipped, andthe engraved side—me—was
(04:28):
stamped in the hot wax.
I didn’t like that part, dude.
Not cool, very hot actually!
Yep, that’s probably why I’mleaping and twirling, because
I’m doing my “too hot” dance!
Yeah, I’ve been in Cali forawhile, but I'm originally
from Etruria, a pre-Romancivilization from around the
(04:51):
areas where Tuscany is today.
Geographically, it’s thetop of the Italian boot
and dooooooown the middle.
[laughs] The Etruscanswere so awesome.
Lots things you loveabout the Romans?
They got it from the Etruscans.
Gladiator games!
(05:11):
Togas!
Divination using animal organs!
The Etruscans did it first.
Yeah, even that!
The military celebrationafter a triumph in battle
is soooooo Etruscan, dude.
We may have been first in thosethings, but everybody borrows
(05:32):
from everybody, especially ifyou’re on a trade route like
many parts of Etruria were.
My little beetle buddy?
Totally Egyptian, dude.
Yep, brought to Etruria by wayof the Greeks and Phoenicians.
Hey, I’ve got a great idea!
Let’s talk abouthow we were made!
(05:53):
Oh, it’s so sick, bro.
Check this out:
First a gem was selectedand cut into a small shape.
The Etruscans liked cornelianbecause it’s gorgeous and
it didn’t stick to the hotwax when sealing a document.
They used teeny tiny drills—likehand-powered ones, not electric
(06:15):
or battery powered likeyou might have at home—and
dipped them into a mixtureof olive oil and powder
made from even harder gems.
This let the craftsmen carvethe stone in the finest detail.
The carving on the underside ofthe gemstone, which would rest
against the body, was calledan intaglio, or sunken image.
(06:38):
These scenes were usuallymythological heroes
or creatures like me!
Scarab gemstones couldbe unique to the wearer
and would highlight afamily’s name or specific
characteristics of the owner.
My guy was a partyanimal, so that tracks!
(07:02):
I'm curious, if you wrote amessage to someone, and you
didn’t use your name on thepaper, how would they, like,
know the message was from you?
What would your seal be?
Maybe a mermaid becauseyou love to swim?
Or a cookie becauseyou could eat those for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Whoa, let's just takea second to think about
(07:26):
all the possibilities.
Now, can you draw your new seal?
Then you can write a letterto a friend or family member
telling them about your sealand why it represents you.
Speaking of being yourself,let me tell you about
Velia and her Uncle Nico.
(07:47):
Now, Nico knew howto have a good time.
He was the life of theparty, dude, like me!
Nico was the proud uncleof a lovely niece, Velia.
She was the ambitious,hardworking type.
Velia hoped to be a modelEtruscan woman when she
grew up—maybe buy someproperty, head up her own
(08:10):
family, and even speak loudlyat the occasional party.
Those Etruscan womencould be powerful, dude!
For Velia’s twelfth birthday,all she really wanted was
for her uncle to do an honestday’s work...and a donkey.
They could use oneon their family farm.
(08:31):
But she didn’t wantjust any donkey.
She wanted a donkey that shehad seen a few months ago
when traveling for a wedding.
The donkey lived nearlyhalf a day’s journey away!
She made her birthday requestcomplicated on purpose, bro!
She tasked Uncle Nico withgetting her the donkey, and with
her parents’ permission, sheplanned on making the trip, too.
(08:54):
Several days later, and armedwith a bill of exchange sealed
by yours truly, Velia andUncle Nico set off to get that
beast of burden in exchangefor two old, fluffy sheep.
Me and Beetle Buddywent with them.
Etruscans traded betweencities all the time so we just
followed the Etruscan road!
(09:16):
Velia was like, so impressedwith her Uncle for being willing
to make this birthday trip.
He regaled her with tales ofthe cities he had traveled
to, and she taught himthat it was probably not a
good idea to eat just anyberry he found on a bush.
Half-way through, theywere ready for a rest stop.
So they moved off the roadand snacked on the figs
(09:39):
and olives they’d brought.
Your classic ancientroad trip snacks.
Then Uncle
Nico daydreamed a while.
Velia took a littlenap and dream-dreamed.
Peaceful, you know?
But, it wouldn't be a goodstory if there wasn't a
little bit of drama right?
So I decided to play alittle game of hide the
(10:02):
sheep and encouraged one togo for a little walkabout.
[laughs] It was going tobe so funny to see them
looking for that fluffy guy!
I love a harmlessprank on the open road!
Velia woke up and noticedthat they were down a
sheep, and boy was she mad!
She totally blamed her unclewho could have easily watched
(10:25):
the clouds and the sheep!
With one sheep, one uncle,and one dashing satyr-scarab
duo, Velia led the chargeto find the missing sheep.
At the edge of the clearingwhere they had been resting
(10:45):
was a deep, dark forest.
With the lost sheep nowherein sight, Velia, true Etrsucan
leader that she was, figured itwas time to check the forest.
Velia and Uncle Nico were deepinto their search when all of
a sudden we heard rustling.
(11:05):
We all got pretty excitedbecause we figured it was that
fluffy sheep and we could grabhim and laugh at my funny trick.
Not so, my dudes.
It was a wild boar.
A big one!
The boar stared at usand we stared at him.
The boar charged andUncle Nico and Velia ran
(11:29):
as fast as they could.
As they neared the forest’sedge, Velia grabbed Uncle Nico's
hand and pointed at the steeprocks ahead past the clearing.
They just had toreach higher ground!
Boars are notoriouslybad rock climbers.
Once they made it to therocks, Uncle Nico climbed
up first and then yanked upVelia by the arm, but the
(11:51):
boar was still right there atthe bottom waiting for them!
Nico thought fast and threwdown his figs and a sliver
of Velia's birthday honeycake he’d been saving.
The boar devoured themin seconds and then left!
It’s like all it wantedwas a little treat!
(12:11):
Insane!
Velia
looked at her Uncledifferently from then on.
He wasn’t just a cool, ifsomewhat irresponsible,
party animal.
He was the guy who stayedcalm in a crisis and
could think on his feet.
And he was also the Unclewilling to make sure
she got exactly what shewanted for her birthday.
(12:35):
At this point, all shewanted was to go home.
They could check out thedonkeys in the neighborhood.
Oh, you wanna know whathappened to the lost sheep?
Ha, dude!
From the rock formation theyspotted him easily, on the other
side of the rock fast asleep.
(12:57):
So much for my “harmlessprank,” right? We never even
had to go into that forest!I did feel bad, but I learned
a valuable lesson (13:04):
don’t play hide the sheep on a
business slash birthday trip!
Well hey, this has beentotally chill, but it’s
time to play my set, dude.
Maybe next time you cancome sit in on a sesh.
Later!
Host (13:28):
I hope you enjoyed learning about satyrs and
Etruria!
Join us next time when ahorse unlocks a mystery.
To see photographs of thesatyr gem and learn more,
visit our website at Gettydot edu slash podcasts.
This episode was writtenby Tocarra Elise and
(13:50):
produced by Zoe Goldman.
Isaac Robinson-Smithvoiced the satyr.
Theme music, mixing and sounddesign by Alexandra Kalinowski.
Christopher Sprinkleis executive producer.
Special thanks to curatorsKen Lapatin, Judith
Barr, and Hana Sugioka.
Catch you next time!
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