Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus
Limestone finial of a funerary stele with two recumbent lions, Archaic II Cypriot statue
Limestone finial of a funerary stele with two recumbent lions, Archaic II Cypriot, c. 510–490 BC. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 74.51.2866.Open Access by the MET

Archaic II

Limestone finial of a funerary stele with two recumbent lions

The cavetto finial is decorated with a winged disk; on the underside, a mortise of 4½ x 4 cm was used for attachment to a stele. The two lions are recumbent, back to back, but the hindquarters are raised, leaving an unfilled space below. Overall: 13 1/4 x 24 1/2 x 7 in. (33.7 x 62.2 x 17.8 cm)

Classification

Object type
Stone sculpture
Motif
Lion
Material
StoneLimestone
Period
Iron AgeCypro-Archaic
Date
510 - 490 BC
Place of production
probablyCyprus
Findspot
Idalion

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Provenance

  • From “the ruins of Idalium”

References

Identifiers

Accession no.
74.51.2866, Metropolitan Museum of Art
In catalogues
  • Doell 1873, no. 826
  • Myres 1914, no. 1390
  • Hermary 2013, no. 461

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