Winged Lion at The British Museum, London

myminifactory

This powerful guardian figure stood watch at the entrance to the throne room of Ashurnasirpal II, a mighty warrior king who ruled Assyria from 883-859 BC. In ancient Mesopotamia, stone mythological guardians like this winged lion were placed at palace gateways to shield them against demonic forces. The Assyrians called these fierce protectors lamassu, creatures born of human ingenuity and divine power. This majestic lion has five legs, a clever design that makes it appear firm when viewed from the front, yet striding forward against evil when seen from the side. It wears ropes like other protective spirits, symbolizing its unyielding strength. Between its powerful legs is inscribed the Standard Inscription of Ashurnasirpal II, a testament to the king's greatness that is repeated throughout his reliefs. Excavated by Austen Henry Layard between 1845 and 1851, this colossal figure embodies the combined might of lion, bird, and human. Its wings represent swiftness, its human head intelligence, and its helmet with horns proclaims its divine status. This remarkable object is part of Scan The World, a groundbreaking initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe. By scanning and sharing these treasures, we aim to make them accessible to everyone for free. Join us in this open-source community effort – if you have interesting items to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. Scanned using photogrammetry and processed with Agisoft PhotoScan, every detail of this guardian figure is now available for the world to see.