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Head and neck of lion sejant. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College) -
Head and neck of lion sejant, side. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
Head and Neck of Lion Sejant
Report 2: Sculpture from Sardis: The Finds through 1975
(1978)
Cat. 24
- Date
- 6th-5th C. BC, Lydian
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- NoEx59.007
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Animal, Lion
- Site
- Sardis?
- Findspot
- Found in the region of Sardis.
- Description
- From preserved neck and shoulder it is clear that the lion sat with legs vertical, like the Perachora lion (Boston Museum of Fine Arts no. 97.289, Caskey, Catalogue Boston MFA, 15ff.) or the Metropolitan Sardis lion (Cat. 235 Figs. 405-406), roaring away. The head, which is mounted too far back, was turned somewhat towards his l. and downward in curious asymmetry. One can still recognize the huge roar. A bit of his r. eyebrow, an oblique stroke, survives, as well as the hollow of his r. ear and the back of his roaring throat. The locks on his r. side are much farther in than those on his l. Rather coarse, they are pointed and flame-like. In the collar around his neck, especially on the l. side, they are separated by chiseled channels; below that they are flat curls. Their interweaving is best preserved on the back of the head and the nape of the neck. There is no back mane. It is good work, still in the archaic style, later 6th or early 5th C. B.C.
- Condition
Fairly large-grianed, white, possibly “local” marble. Reddish accretion.
Heavily weathered. Broken off at neck. Most of face and muzzle broken; circular hollow on top probably secondary but might have held a top ornament. Face also worn off.
- Dimensions
- P.H. 0.42.
- Comments
- Cf. for type, Perachora, Gabelmann, Lowelbild, pl. 5; Agora, Harrison, Agora XI, 27f., no. 90, pl. 12, 550-525 B.C.
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Author
- GMAH