Plaque in the form of a striding lion

Art Historical Context

This exquisite silver plaque, shaped as a striding lion,ails from the Early Bronze Age in the Ancient Near East, around the early 3rd BCE. Measuring just 1.77 x 1.77 inches, its diminutive size belies its masterful craftsmanship, likely intended as a decorative element for jewelry, furniture inlay, or a personal amulet. Crafted in silver—a precious metal symbolizing wealth and divine favor—this metalwork relief exemplifies the technical prowess of early metallurgists, who hammered and chased the metal to create a dynamic, three-dimensional form. Lions held profound cultural significance in ancient Near Eastern societies, embodying raw power, protection, and royal authority. The striding pose captures the beast in mid-motion, a motif that recurs across Mesopotamian and Levantine art, warding off evil or asserting dominance. As a rare survivor from this formative period, when urban centers like Uruk were rising, the plaque offers a glimpse into the sophisticated artistry that bridged the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Today, this treasure resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art, a gift from Peter Sharrer in 1982. It invites us to marvel at how such tiny objects encapsulated the awe-inspiring forces of nature and kingship over 5,000 years ago.