| Lion of Bienservida | |
|---|---|
| Spanish: León de Bienservida | |
.jpg) | |
| Year | 4th–1st century BC |
| Medium | Sandstone |
| Dimensions | (0.98 x 0.81 x 0.31) m[1] |
| Location | Albacete Provincial Museum, Albacete, Spain |
The Lion of Bienservida (also Lion of Villarrodrigo) is an ancient sculpture depicting a lion and a human head put on a plinth. It is exhibited at the Albacete Provincial Museum.
The piece was found in 1893 in the rural estate of Huertas de Bayona, in Villarrodrigo, in the Spanish province of Jaén.[2] It was gifted to the Museum of Albacete in 1932.[3][n. 1]
It was dated by Teresa Chapa at the late 4th century BC.[4] However, despite the rough carving, Carmen Aranegui sees no reason to classify the sculpture as an Iberian (Pre-Roman) artifact, rather considering the lion as art from the Roman republican period.[1] The lion is depicted sheltering a human head (bearded and with moustache) within the claws.[5] Chapa interprets the sculpture in the usual vein of the animal protecting the dead one while at the same time carrying their soul.[4]
- ^ a b Aranegui Gascó 2005, p. 5.
- ^ Noguera Celdrán 2013, p. 134.
- ^ Noguera Celdrán 2013, p. 135.
- ^ a b Ruiz Bremón 1984, p. 8.
- ^ Ruiz Bremón 1984, p. 5.
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