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León de Ishtar

ca. 604–562 BCE
Not on view
Cuando Nabucodonosor ordenó la reconstrucción de la antigua ciudad de Babilonia a mediados del primer milenio a. C., las paredes de los templos, puertas y palacios se decoraron con imágenes de bestias míticas protectoras y de animales consagrados a los dioses representados en paneles de ladrillo vidriado en brillantes colores. Este león, que simboliza los poderes de la diosa babilónica Ishtar, era uno de los aproximadamente ciento veinte leones que recubrían las paredes de la Vía Procesional en Babilonia. Su función era proteger esa ruta sagrado, sobre todo cuando las estatuas de los dioses babilónicos pasaban por él y por la Puerta de Ishtar, camino del templo donde se celebraba el Festival de Año Nuevo.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Título: León de Ishtar
  • Periodo: Periodo neobabilónico, reinado de Nabucodonosor II
  • Fecha: 604–562 a. C.
  • Geografía: Mesopotamia, excavado en Babilonia (actual Hillah)
  • Material: Ladrillo vidriado
  • Dimensiones: a. 97,2 cm
  • Crédito: Fondo Fletcher, 1931
  • Número de inventario: 31.13.1
  • Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art

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