What about its provenance? For researchers, tackling this question was a big challenge. (Morningstar1814 / CC BY-SA 3.0 ) The Guennol Lioness: From the Dawn of Time to a Collection Elam was a sophisticated ancient civilization situated in the far west and southwest of modern-day Iran, perched on the banks of the Persian Gulf. The Guennol Lioness was certainly made in the Ancient Near East by the Iranian Proto-Elamite culture. And legs or no, she is still magnificent. Nevertheless, the legs were never found and thus the Guennol Lioness remains known as she is. Another theory is that the lower legs were broken off, by accident or on purpose, and that someone made attempts at repair with the hole that was drilled.
![lioness art lioness art](https://img1.etsystatic.com/052/0/5309370/il_fullxfull.732909103_p6qh.jpg)
The stumps of the legs are smoothed off, and one stumps shows a dowel hole that suggests that the lower legs were attached separately, perhaps created from a different material. However, the figure seems unfinished: its form ends abruptly just at the knees. The superbly realistic curves of the body, the natural posture and the detailed leonine head tell us that the man and his compatriots had a good knowledge of both the lion form, and the muscular human anatomy. The curves and the attention to detail tell us that the Guennol Lioness was made by a master craftsman of ancient times.
![lioness art lioness art](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/3d/1b/b9/3d1bb9779f40fc6e3d2b6d4af9a74eba--south-africa.jpg)
Considering its age, it is exceptionally well-made. The figurine of the Guennol Lioness is truly remarkable in many aspects.
![lioness art lioness art](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/1-lioness-portrait-david-stribbling.jpg)
( Unknown sculptor / Public domain ) What do we Know of the Guennol Lioness?
Lioness art full#
The full figurine of the 5,000-year-old Guennol Lioness, which is only about 8.5 centimeters or 3.3 inches high. Luckily, the explanation is much more rational, and gives us a perfect insight into the advanced views of ancient civilizations. Why was it made, and whom does it depict? Is it merely some lost mythological being from times long past, or a deity whose importance eludes us? A whimsical creation of some imaginative ancient craftsman? Numerous theories surfaced, including truly kooky ones that mention an ancient lion-headed race. One such ancient mystery is the so-called “Guennol Lioness.” This remarkably well-made limestone figurine has proven to be quite a conundrum in the scholarly world. To that end, several millennia later, researchers find themselves puzzled by some enigmatic discoveries. The knowledge of the ancients escapes us today: we are not fully aware of the extent of their wisdom and their ability to comprehend the world around them in incredible detail. The world of the ancient past is undoubtedly filled with many mysteries.