Unknown Maker, Greek

Although the ancient Greeks began producing small-scale bronzes using the lost-wax process as early as the

10th century BCE, decorative bronzes were not used extensively within the domestic context until the 4th century BCE, during the Hellenistic period. This solid-cast lion most likely adorned the top of a large tripod, or perhaps the edge of some item of furniture. Although the flat, rectangular projection at its base (tenon) is visible today, it would have been hidden in its original context, where it was inserted into a slot to allow the lion to rest securely on a flat surface. Centuries of exposure to the elements, specifically oxygen, mineral and water-rich environments, has weathered the lion’s once warm-brown surface. The patches of greenish-blue patina are probably copper oxide, a type of superficial oxidation that can act as a protective layer and prevent the underlying metal from further corrosion.