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Lions have been widely used in sculpture and statuary to
provide a sense of majesty and awe, especially on public
buildings. This usage dates back to the origin of
civilization and there are lions at the entrances of
cities and sacred sites from Mesopotamian cultures;
notable examples include the Lion Gate of ancient Mycenae
in Greece that has two lionesses flanking a column that
represents a deity and the gates in the walls of the
Hittite city of Bogazköy, Turkey. |
The most notable lion of Ancient Greek mythology was the
Nemean lion, killed barehanded by Heracles, who subsequently
bore the pelt as an invulnerable magic cloak. This lion is
also said to be represented by the constellation of Leo, and
also the sign of the Zodiac.
Lions are known in many cultures as the king of animals, which
can be traced to the classical book Physiologus. In his fable,
The famed Greek story teller Aesop utilised the lion's
symbolism of power and strength in The Lion and the Mouse and
Lion's Share.
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