Funerary Lion Koji
Re: Greek grave decoration sculptures
“This crouching lion with its head turned to the left originally afforded symbolic protection to a grave in Athens or its territory. The lion’s face and mane are stylized, and its body is rather doglike. The small incisions all over the body indicate fur. This unrealistic rendering of lions is typical of Greek artists, who would never have seen a real lion and thus modeled their depictions on a combination of artistic tradition, large dogs, and house cats.”
