Horned winged lions, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

sketchfab

Two majestic, horned and winged lion figures adorn a high-up frieze situated on an east-facing wall near the main entrance of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. These stunning relics have been a prominent feature of the museum's architecture since the early Victorian era when the present building was constructed between 1841 and 1845. The lions' design is heavily influenced by the iconic images found in ancient Assyrian and Achaemenid art, which originated from Persian cultures. A series of photographs showcasing these magnificent creatures were taken in March 2019.