Fragment of a Lion Statue Found in The Late Phase (Ib) of The Colony Period

Year 1954, Volume: 18 Issue: 72, 445 - 448, 20.10.1954

Tahsin Özgüç

Abstract

During excavations in 1954 at the Karum Kaneş carried on in squares -Z-aa/26-27 of the plan, some large vessels were found in situ on the floor of a workshop in square aa/27 in level Ib. One of the stones used as supports for these vessels was seen to be part of the lower jaw of a lion statue. This fragment, which is now in the Ankara Archaeological Museum (inventory No. Kt.f/K 231), is of the widely used indigenous Kaneş basalt. It constitutes about half of the lower jaw. The height of the jaw from its lower edge to the top of the teeth is 11.8 cm. The tongue, which is in relief, protrudes from the mouth along the jaw to within 1 cm. of its lower edge. The inside of the mouth, the tongue, and the two sides of the jaw exhibit good workmanship. The under-side of the jaw. While it has been made slightly concave, is unworked. The tongue, represented as adhering to the inside of the mouth and to the jaw, has a width of 7 cm. over the teeth and of 6.5 cm. at its narrowest point. It is widest at its two en.ds and narrows in slight curves towards its middle. The space of 8 cm. between the tongue and the canine, which is broken off at the base, contains six rectangular teeth indicated by short straight lines. Their upper and lower parts are not indicated.

Keywords

Ankara Archaeological Museum, Karum Kaneş, Late- Hititte Period, Malatya