Smith, Arthur H. [Editor]; British Museum <London> / Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities [Editor]: Catalogue of sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities (Band 2) (London, 1900)

AOROTERIAL SCULPTURES. 41

928. Fragment of one of the acroterial sculptures, with
drapery spreading over a plain support. The lower part
is worked to fit into a plinth.

Height, 2 feet 1 inch.

THE LIONS.

Parts were found of four lions, of which two are fairly
complete.

There is evidence to show that they had fallen from the
monument. Fellows reports that one of the lions 'had fallen
from either angle of the west end ; .... at the east end
I found the paws of one lion and the flanks of another'
{Ionic Tr. Mon., p. 24 ; Travels, p. 478).

It seems likely that they were symmetrically disposed
with reference to the cella. Fellows placed each in one
of the intercolumniations, but this is not a satisfactory
arrangement. By analogy with the tomb seen on slab 877
we should associate them with a central monument, but
they seem rather large for an internal position. Two
lions looking outwards are said to have flanked the
entrance to the chamber of the funeral car of Alexander
(Diod. Sic, xviii., 27).

The style of the animals is very archaic compared with
the remainder of the sculptures—especially the stiff and
conventional treatment of the manes. Either they are
derived from an older monument or the archaic con-
ventions have been consciously retained in a piece of
decorativo sculpture.

Fellows, Tonic Tr. Mon., p. 24; Falkener, Mus. of Class. Antiq., L,
p. 268; Michaelis, Annaii dell' Inst., 1874, p. 221, 234.

'■ Lion, crouching for a spring, with mouth open ; the