Ring with Seated Lion

Ring with Seated Lion

The shape of this ring, with its hexagonal bezel, tapering shank, and small oval back-knob (the remains of the casting sprue), is typical of twelfth-century Iranian production. The seated lion, a symbol of power, rendered in relief in the center of the bezel, together with a border of niello crosses and the words al-‘izz wa-l-iqbal (glory and prosperity) on the upper and lower edges, emphasizes the positive attributes of the ring and its protective and advantageous potential for the wearer. This imagery is maintained by the pairs of entwined serpentine forms on the ring’s shoulders, which may parallel the depiction of serpents on magic bowls and other talismanic objects as an apotropaic device. A scrolling vegetal pattern with a niello background provides contrast with the plain gold relief decoration of the serpents above and an intertwined leaf motif below.

The pose of the lion—seated, with its tail raised and head lowered—is duplicated not only in a very similar silver ring of the same period and shape, but also in molded, glazed ceramic ewers in which the lion’s tail forms the handle and its back, the spout (see Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin I.5364).[1] Lest one think that a seated lion projects less power than a standing one, an inlaid brass candlestick combines bands of seated lions with vignettes of lions attacking bovines (see cat. 142 in this volume, al Sabah Collection, Kuwait LNS 352C). Moreover, seated lions adorn the spouts of several brass ewers that are otherwise decorated with a variety of auspicious symbols, including the signs of the zodiac and composite animals such as harpies (see MMA 44.15 and MMA 32.52.1). Thus, what might appear as a lion dejected or in repose instead keeps the same symbolic company as several other propitious motifs, not least the entwined serpents on this ring.

Sheila R. Canby in [Canby, Beyazit, and Rugiadi 2016]

Footnotes:

1. For the ring, see Islamic Jewellery. Dealer cat., Spink and Son, London, April 15–May 9, 1986. London, 1986, p. 55, no. 51. For the ewers, see Gibson, Melanie. “The Enigmatic Figure: Ceramic Sculpture from Iran and Syria, 1150–1250.” Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society 73 (2008–9), pp. 39–50, figs. 10, 11; and catalogue 136c in this volume: Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin (I.5364).

Inscription: On upper and lower edges: al-'izz wa al-iqbal (glory and prosperity)

Private Collection, Europe (until ca. 1995; sold to Kuehn); [ Sara Kuehn, Brussels, ca. 1995–2007; sold to MMA]

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Court and Cosmos: The Great Age of the Seljuqs," April 25–July 24, 2016, no. 32.

Canby, Sheila R., Deniz Beyazit, and Martina Rugiadi. "The Great Age of the Seljuqs." In Court and Cosmos. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2016. no. 32, p. 103, ill. (color).