The Lion of Knidos

Weighing more than 7 tons, this colossal lion comes from a tomb in the ancient cemetery of Knidos, a coastal city in south-west Turkey. The tomb stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the approach to Knidos harbour. The building itself rose some 18 metres, and its pyramid roof was topped by the lion. It is carved of marble brought across the Aegean Sea from Mr Pentelikon near the city of Athens. The lower jaw and front paws are missing, and the eye sockets are now empty. These were once filled, probably with metal or glass, to catch the light. There were at least 12 individual burial chambers arranged in a circle inside the tomb. These may have served several generations of the same family. Alternatively, because of the shield carved into one of the outside walls, it has been suggested that the tomb held the unknown casualties of a military engagement. Archaeologists disagree about the date of the tomb and its lion. Some believe it was built 50 years or so after the -ausoleum at Halikarnassos, which dates to about 370-350 BC. Others place it later, in the 2nd century BC.这件巨型石狮重达7吨有余，出土自土耳其西南部沿海城市尼多斯（Knidos）古墓地中的一座墓葬。该墓葬坐落于悬崖边缘，俯瞰通往尼多斯港的航道。这座墓葬建筑本身高约18米，其金字塔形顶部伫立着这尊石狮。该石狮由大理石雕凿而成，这些石材从雅典附近的彭特利库斯山（Pentelikon）跨爱琴海运输而来。其下颌与前爪已佚失，眼窝如今亦空洞无物。当初眼窝内或填充有金属或玻璃材质，以反射光线、增强视觉表现力。墓葬内部至少设有12座独立墓室，呈环形排布，这些墓室或许曾为同一家族的数代成员使用。另有一种观点认为，鉴于墓葬外墙上雕刻有盾牌纹饰，该墓葬可能用于安葬某次军事行动中身份不明的阵亡者。考古学界对于该墓葬及其石狮的建造年代尚存争议：部分学者认为其建成时间比哈利卡纳苏斯陵墓（Mausoleum at Halikarnassos）晚约50年，而后者的年代约为公元前370至前350年；另有学者则认为其建造年代更晚，可追溯至公元前2世纪。