Statuette of a lion, 11th-12th century, Unknown, 4 3/4 x 4 x 2in. ( x x ), Gold, Spain, 11th-12th century, This rare and enigmatic gold sculpture of a lion—a symbol of power and authority—is elaborately decorated with looping filigree and fine granulation, in keeping with the Islamic goldsmithing traditions of the later Muslim kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain and Portugal). Islam arrived in Europe in 711 CE, bringing new traditions in the decorative arts, such as the animal-shaped aquamanile: a vessel used for hand washing

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Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
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Model Released: No

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