Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Figure of crouching lion

ca. 8th–7th century BCE
Not on view
This is a small crouching ivory lion. The lion has large round eyes, triangular ears and an open mouth. Its shoulders and hindquarters are rounded. A large section of the right hindquarter is now missing, and the entire left side of the lion is quite worn. The lion rests on a flat base with two holes. Presumably it was originally attached to something, but it is impossible to say what at this point. Possibly it was the handle for an ivory container of some kind.

This lion was excavated at Surkh Dum, a settlement site in Luristan in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. It was part of a large hoard of objects buried beneath a doorjamb in a structure interpreted as a sanctuary; thus the objects were probably offerings made for a god.

Lions were native to Iran until the 20th century A.D. As a result they appear frequently in ancient Iranian art, as symbols of strength, kingship or the raw power of the natural world. Given how little is known of the Iron Age inhabitants of Luristan it is difficult to say what significance this lion had for them.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Figure of crouching lion
  • Period: Iron Age II
  • Date: ca. 8th–7th century BCE
  • Geography: Iran, Luristan, Surkh Dum
  • Culture: Iran
  • Medium: Ivory
  • Dimensions: 3/4 in. × 1/4 in. × 1 in. (1.9 × 0.7 × 2.6 cm)
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1943
  • Object Number: 43.102.29
  • Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Fragments of plaque with fantastic creatures, Bronze, Iran
Fragments of plaque with fantastic creatures
Iran
ca. 8th–7th century BCE
Nkisi (power figure), Kongo artist and nganga (ritual specialist), Wood, pigment, resin, iron, brass, tin, cloth, plant fiber cord, beads, cowrie shells, bone or ivory, arrows, leather, seeds, animal horn, Kongo peoples
Nkisi (power figure)
Kongo artist and nganga (ritual specialist)
19th–first half of 20th century
Pin, Bronze, Iran
Pin
Iran
ca. 8th–7th century BCE
'Otua fefine (deity figure), Ha'apai Islands artist, Whale ivory, Ha'apai Islands
'Otua fefine (deity figure)
Ha'apai Islands artist
Early 19th century
Cylinder seal and modern impression: cultic banquet scene , Faience, Elamite

Cylinder seal and modern impression: cultic banquet scene

Elamite
late 2nd millennium or 10th–9th century BCE

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.