MOUNT

A Roman copper alloy figurine of a lion which appears to have functioned as a mount. The object depicts a lion in a seated position, crouched on all four limbs which are under the body. This forms a sub-rectangular shape in plan with the head protruding up and out and the forearms extending forward in a sphinx like pose. The lions tail is folded along its spine and drapes to the animals right. The head is disproportionately large and also turned to the animals right. The facial features are exaggerated with a large bulbous nose, exaggerated brow ridge, raised cheeks and an open mouth. The eyes are formed of a drilled circular hole on either side of the head. The ears are moulded on either side of the top of the head before the large moulded mane which flows down the back of the neck and over both shoulders before meeting the jaw under the head. The tail, mane and forelimbes are all decorated with inceised linear hatched decoration to indicate fur. The lion is sitting on a convex rectangular plate, the edges of which all appear to have been broken by old breaks. The underside of the plate is concave and is hollow towards the centre and appears to have been filled with lead and is surrounded by iron staining.

The mount is 42.8mm long, 12.5mm wide, 29.4mm high and weighs 34.1 grams.