Plaque in the form of a striding lion

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silver plaque, depicting a striding lion,ails from the Early Bronze Age in the Ancient Near East, around the early 3rd millennium BCE Measuring just over an inch tall, its diminutive size belies its powerful presence, crafted as a low-relief metalwork piece likely intended for personal adornment, as a pendant or inlay on jewelry or furniture. Lions were potent symbols in Mesopotamian culture, embodying strength, royalty, and divine protection—fierce guardians often associated with kings and gods during the rise of Sumerian city-states. The unknown artisan employed skilled repou...