Recumbent Lion

myminifactory

This majestic lion once stood watch over the entrance to an ancient pyramid-age sanctuary. As the most feared predator on the steppes bordering the Nile Valley, the lion was a powerful symbol of royalty from the very beginning. The animal - particularly the female - embodied several deities. This remarkable work is the earliest known example of a lifesize lion statue that has been remarkably well-preserved. It was uncovered by the British Egypt Exploration Fund in 1891 at Herakleopolis Magna, nestled deep within the Nile Valley to the southeast of the Fayum oasis.