This figurine depicts a standing lion with curved horns and wings. The figure has acanthus leaf decoration and one of the wings has been crudely restored. It was found on the banks of the River Helmud in Afghanistan, an area which has been insufficiently subjected to archaeological excavation. As such, the date and function of the figure is unknown. It has been variously identified as Achaemenid, Scythian, Indo-Greek, Parthian, Sasanian or even Early Islamic. However, a Parthian date between the first and third centuries AD seems the most likely.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Winged Beast, 1st–2nd century
Date supported
1913
Medium and material
Bronze
Dimensions
24.9 x 32 cm
Grant
200
Total cost
200
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