Welcome to lionStatue.net – a website dedicated to lion statues. Lion is the king of jungle and a lion statue is regarded as the perfect symbol of royalty and fearlessness. No wonder scores of people like to sport these in their gardens or living rooms. A symbol of royalty – a symbol of fearlessness – why not!

GUARDIAN LION STATUES

Guardian lion statues are of Chinese origin and have traditionally stood guard at the entrances of wealthy family homes and important buildings such as; temples, palaces, tombs, and government offices. The use of these guardian lion statues goes back over 2,000 years. Because they were traditionally carved from marble, granite, or cast in metal like bronze, they were expensive and only the wealthy could afford them. They always come in pairs with the male resting its front paw on a ball and the female with a cub under her front paw. They are placed at the front of houses and buildings so that when facing the building the male is on the right and the female is on the left.

These days, guardian lion statues are made from a variety of cheaper materials such as concrete, plastic, and resin. They are often seen at the front of restaurants and hotels. They are also a common sight in local Chinatowns such as San Francisco, and other Chinatowns throughout the world. There are other styles of lions for different Asian cultures. One style is the pair of lions has a pearl in their opened mouths. The pearl which is carved from the same material e.g. granite, and can roll around in their mouths but is big enough that it cannot be removed. When any of these lions are placed outside a house or building it is said the female is protecting those inside and that the male is guarding the building.

CULTURAL DEPICTIONS OF LIONS

Introduction – The cultural depictions of lions have been around for over 30,000 years. Cave paintings in southern France show lions engaged in hunting. They were painted in the Paleolithic period and have been dated at 32,000 years old. Another cave in France depicts two lions mating and is about 15,000 years old. In Germany an ivory carving of a lion was found and is 30,000 years old.

Probably the best known and famous depiction of a lion is the Egyptian Sphinx which has the body of a lioness and the head of a goddess. She was the protector of the Egyptian Kings (Pharohs). The ancient Egyptian Goddess of War was Sekhmet, she had the body of a beautiful woman and the head of a lioness. The ancient Egyptians believed a sacred lioness caused the yearly flooding of the Nile River, which fertilized the land and therefore produced abundant crops to sustain the people. There was even a city in Lower Egypt called Leonopolis (City of lions).

Biblical – There are many references to lions in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel for instance, Daniel is thrown into a den of lions, but the lions do not harm him. Samson kills a lion with his bare hands because of his legendary strength. Mark the Evangelist was fed to the lions by the Romans, however they did not eat him, or even attack him. They are said to have rested and slept at his feet. The Romans were so afraid that they freed Mark. The tribe of Judah had the lion as their emblem. Even in modern day Israel the Capital city Jerusalem has a lion on its flag and coat of arms.

Asia – For thousands of years wealthy Chinese families and Government departments have placed a pair of lion statues outside the entrances to their houses and buildings. The male lion guarded the building while the female protected the occupants. They can still be found in Chinatowns throughout the world and outside restaurants and businesses. The nation of Singapore gets its name from the ancient Malay language – Singa (lion) and Pura (city). The national emblem of Singapore is the Merlion which has the head of a lion and the body of a mermaid. Lions feature prominently in other countries, such as; Indonesia, Japan, China, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese are the main ethnic group and their name means “lion people” or “people with lion’s blood”.

General – The depiction of a lion traditionally represents courage and strength. It is found on many national flags and coats of arms. The English coat of arms depicts 3 lions while the Sri Lankan flag shows a sword wielding lion. Many sporting teams use the lion as their symbol, e.g. The national English football and cricket teams. The French car manufacturer Peugeot has a lion as its symbol, as does the iconic Australian car maker Holden. The Red Lion is an extremely popular name for a pub, and there are almost 700 that have this name in the U.K. alone. Many nations use the lion on their coins and banknotes. The British Royal Navy used the H.M.S. Lion consecutively as a name for 18 ships. The word lion continues to be a popular inclusion in the names of ships.