Striding Lion from the Processional Way
Architectural relief panel composed of molded and glazed bricks • Royal workshops of Babylon (Ancient Mesopotamia)
Style & Movement
Neo-Babylonian architecture and decorative arts
Medium & Technique
Glazed polychrome mud-brick; technique involves molding bricks in relief, firing them, and applying mineral-based glazes (lapis lazuli imitation for blue, antimony for yellow/gold) before a second firing
Creation Period
Neo-Babylonian Period, reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 605–562 BCE)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 100 cm x 230 cm; horizontal rectangular format (frieze element)
Subject Description
A roaring lion in profile, striding forward. The lion is a symbol of Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and war. Its presence on the Processional Way, leading to the Ishtar Gate, served as both a protective talisman for the city and a display of royal power and divine favor.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (Excavated/Restored); significant surface crazing and cracking to the glazes, with some loss of pigment and mortar erosion typical for archaeological material of this antiquity
Estimated Market Value
Varies by setting; as a state-owned cultural treasure, it is priceless. Equivalent market fragments of this rarity and origin could reach $500,000–$2,000,000 in a legal private sale context
Auction Estimate
$800,000 – $1,500,000 (hypothetical, given historical and legal restrictions on such antiquities)
Provenance History
Originally from the Processional Way in ancient Babylon (modern-day Iraq); excavated by Robert Koldewey's German Oriental Society (DOG) team between 1899 and 1917; many panels were subsequently reconstructed in Berlin
Art Historical Significance
One of the most iconic examples of ancient Mesopotamian glazing technology; it represents the height of Neo-Babylonian urban planning and the ideological use of public art to reinforce theological and political status
Notable Features
Individual bricks are often marked on the side with stamps from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II; the blue glaze is intended to mimic the appearance of expensive lapis lazuli stone
Condition Issues
Extensive 'craquelure' or crazing in the glaze layers; minor losses at the edges of individual bricks; historical reconstructions likely use modern mortar and some infill in missing sections
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain stable humidity (30-40% RH) to prevent further glaze flaking; use specialized seismic mounting; low UV lighting to prevent any degradation of mineral pigments