This bronze Roman-era statue of a mythical winged lion with a man’s torso has been discovered at an archaeological site in the United Arab Emirates.
The statue of the mythical creature, which dates back to the 1st century AD and time of the Roman Empire, was found at the Mleiha archaeological site in the Emirate of Sharjah.
The bronze object is believed to have been part of three that supported the base of a large incense burning bowl.
The bronze statue of a mythical creature dating back to the time of the Roman Empire that was discovered in Sharjah.
(Sharjah Archaeology Authority/Newsflash)
The bronze statue of a mythical creature dating back to the time of the Roman Empire that was discovered in Sharjah.
(Sharjah Archaeology Authority/Newsflash)
The artefact features a lion’s face, a man’s torso, an eagle’s wings, and a bird’s foot with talons.
A spokesperson for the Sharjah Archaeology Authority at Mleiha, a UNESCO-nominated World Heritage site, said the artefact is proof of a trading network between ancient empires and Mleiha in present-day UAE.
Director general Dr Sabah Jassim said the mythical creature’s characteristics have been used in many Roman-era works of art, including furniture, jewellery, wall panels, and architecture.
The statue is believed to be one of three, used to hold a large bowl for burning incense, however, it is unclear if the other two have been found yet.
( Sharjah Archaeology Authority/Newsflash)
Other recent discoveries at the ancient site include Islamic coins from over 1,000 years ago as well as an iron key.
The Mleiha Archaeological Centre boasts artefacts from the region that date back to the Stone Age and holds tombs from thousands of years ago.
The centre also displays stone tools from around 125,000 years ago that were unearthed at the site, and many anthropologists consider it one of the world’s earliest sites with stone tools that has been found outside Africa.
(Sharjah Archaeology Authority/Newsflash)
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Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub-Editor: James King, Agency: Newsflash
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