Guardian Lion, Northern Qi Dynasty, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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One of a pair, this fearsome guardian lion bares his razor-sharp fangs, crouches low, and grips the platform beneath him with outstretched claws. Pairs of stone lions have been discovered guarding Han-dynasty tombs dating back to 206 B.C.–220 A.D., and they became even more prevalent after lion iconography was incorporated into Buddhist cave temples in northern China during the fifth and sixth centuries. Excavations of Northern Qi tombs have uncovered pairs of protective lions defending the entrance to the innermost chamber containing the coffin. This guardian lion's fully detailed body and rippling muscles are characteristic of Northern Qi sculpture, which was more rounded and naturalistic than the elongated and linear forms of the preceding Northern Wei (386–534) and Eastern Wei (534–550) dynasties. The stylized whorl pattern along the lion's shoulders is common on carvings in relief as well as sculptures in the round from this period. Although the Northern Qi dynasty was brief and was eventually supplanted by the Northern Zhou in 577, its sculptural achievements provided a lasting direction and inspiration for stone sculpture in the succeeding centuries when China was unified first under the Sui dynasty (581–618) and then under the Tang dynasty (618–906). This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. Through this initiative, we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open-source community effort. If you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.