Dish with King Hormizd II or Hormizd III Hunting Lions
Unknown Artist
400–600 CE
Medium
silver gilt
Dimensions
4.6 × 20.8 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1962.150
About this artwork
Lion hunting was a traditional royal sport in ancient Near Eastern cultures and was frequently incorporated into artwork, such as Assyrian (about 912–612 BCE) palace reliefs. Thematically, depictions of the hunt in royal artwork bridge the pre- and post-Islamic worlds. This dish features the Sasanian ruler Hormizd II (reigned 303–309 CE), identifiable by his distinctive crown. The style of the king’s and horse’s equipment suggest that this dish was made long after he died, perhaps as a commemora...