Archaic II

Lion-Tamer Figure

Hero or hunter carrying dead lion or lion skin. Legs and skin only. Right jand is holding something, probably the lionskin. Traces of pink paint. Cream-coloured limestone. Missing feet and body. Lower body of creamy white limestone male figure (lion-tamer); painted. Only the legs with onset of the buttocks up to the middle of the calves with edges of the attached hands. The lion is missing its tail, left hind leg from thigh onward, righthind leg below knee as well as the front legs. Heavily chipped. All over the surface signs of scratching caused by the chisel are visible. Traces of black paint are visible on the lion: outline of the eye, short wavy lines indicate the fur on a reddish brown background; red pigment around the mouth.The youth held the lion's tail with his right hand and the left hind leg with his left hand. The fingers on the right hand are worked individually. The right hind leg of the lion is hanging down limply; his head is looking upward. The lion probably covered the youth's lap as can be seen in the bend of the lion's waist and remains of the right hand not reaching down further than the buttocks. The slender body of the lion is not further distinguished. While the face with its protruding eyes and three parallel grooves on the long mouth is rendered expressively. Just as the wiry hind leg, the rendering of the buttocks recalls a lively portrayal of the figure. On the back some stone residue is left between the legs from the knees downward. At the side of the right leg below the right hand a very flat, broad vertical band is shown, equally on the left sidea single bend starting from the toes of the lion's feet. Dimensions: Height: 13.50 centimetres; Length: 5.30 centimetres; Width: 6.50 centimetres Object Type: figure Series: Nick Type 1.5 Techniques: carved