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Fragment of pier with lion's head, overview. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
Fragment of Pier with Lion’s Head
Report 2: Sculpture from Sardis: The Finds through 1975
(1978)
Cat. 222
- Date
- 3rd C. AD, Roman
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- S66.023
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Furnishing, Animal
- Site
- Sardis
- Sector
- B
- Trench
- Syn W 66
- Locus
- B BE-C
- B-Grid Coordinates
- E28.1 / N8.8 *96.85
- Findspot
- BE-C (limekiln area).
- Description
- A lion head is carved on a pillar under a projecting squared capital. The lion has small beady eyes and a simple mane done in parallel locks. A channel runs through his mouth, but because of the pillar behind, this was apparently not originally a fountain; it is possible that the head was at some time used as a fountain but the square hollow within the head might also come from piecing. The piece belongs to the very popular table support series and is Roman, but the forms of the face have a curiously archaic look.
- Condition
Marble, decomposing to limestone.
L. side of lion head broken away. Part of the back of the pillar is preserved. R. side broken, shows decomposing back to limestone. There are traces of burning.
- Dimensions
- H. 0.20; W. 0.17; D. 0.13. Face: H. 0.13; W. 0.09; D. 0.03.
- Comments
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Author
- NHR