Archaeologists have uncovered an unusually large marble lion gargoyle belonging to one of Sicily's ancient Greek temples.
Only nine other ancient Greek temples in southern Italy and Sicily are known to have marble gargoyles like this, which would have been imported from the Greek islands in the 5th century BC. Angel Statues
The Ruhr University in Bucham, Germany, which led the study, said that marble like this was "rare and valuable" at the time when this stone lion was built, suggesting that it would have been made for a temple of great significance.
"We cannot yet say whether it was intended for the well-known Temple E in Selinunte or for another, as yet unknown temple," archaeologist Jon Albers, from the Ruhr University, said in a press release.
Stone figures like this are known as "simas." They form the upturned edge of the temple roof which acts as a sort of gutter to collect rainwater, like an ancient precursor to the gargoyles of Gothic architecture. Simas were often decorated, and lion's heads were a common feature, as well as rams, dogs and other animals.
In most cases, simas were made of terracotta or limestone. But this new find is made of 24 inches of marble.
The "Temple E" Albers referenced also contains a frieze made from this valuable stone. Its construction dates back to between 490 and 450 BC and was built in honor of the Greek goddess Hera, according to the University of Michigan Library.
In Greek mythology, Hera is the wife of the king of the gods, Zeus, and is the goddess of women, marriage and childbirth.
But, according to Albers, there may have been an additional, unknown temple to which this stone gargoyle belonged. Lions were traditionally used on temples to act as "guardians" to the holy building.
The reason archaeologists are unclear about the origins of this carved feline is that it appears to have been unfinished and not yet installed at its final destination. There is no characteristic water outlet and the back of the lion's mane is missing.
Exactly why this carving was halted halfway through is unclear, but Albers hopes that this finding will prove a useful piece in the puzzle of the ancient civilizations that lived in the Sicilian harbor thousands of years ago.
"We also want to better understand the manufacturing processes for such architectural parts," he said. "Since the find comes from the harbor zone and the immediate surroundings of the workshop district of Selinunte, it allows further conclusions to be drawn about the city's trade contacts and the technical skills of the ancient residents of Selinunte."
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Pandora Dewan is a Newsweek Science Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health and technology. Pandora joined Newsweek in 2022 and previously worked as the Head of Content for the climate change education start-up, ClimateScience and as a Freelance writer for content creators such as Dr Karan Rajan and Thoughty2. She is a graduate in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford. Languages: English.
You can get in touch with Pandora by emailing p.dewan@newsweek.com. or on Twitter @dewanpandora.
Pandora Dewan is a Newsweek Science Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health and technology.... Read more
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