Lion head fragment
Unknown Artist
ca. 9th–7th century BCE
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
0.79 x 0.75 in. (2.01 x 1.91 cm)
Classification
Ivory/Bone-Sculpture
Culture & Period
Assyrian · Neo-Assyrian
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1957
Accession Number
57.27.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold this exquisite *Lion Head Fragment*, a tiny yet ferocious ivory carving from the Neo-Assy period (ca. 9th–7th century BCE). just 0.79 x 0.75 inches, this delicate sculpture—likely part of a larger decorative inlay or furniture ornament—captures the snarling visage of a lion with remarkable precision. Crafted by an unknown Assyrian artist, it now resides in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art acquired through the Rogers Fund in 7. In Neo-Assyrian culture, embodied raw power, royal might, and divine protection, frequently appearing in palace reliefs, seal...