Lion of Al-lāt
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Short description|Historical statue in Palmyra, Syria}}
{{Infobox monument
| name = Lion of Al-lāt
| native_name =
| image = Lion in the garden of Palmyra Archeological Museum, 2010-04-21.jpg
| caption = The Lion of Al-lāt, 2010
| location = Temple of Al-Lat, Palmyra, Syria
| designer =
| type =
| material = Limestone
| length =
| width =
| height = {{convert|3.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| begin =
| complete = {{circa}} 1st century
| open =
| dismantled = 27 June 2015 (by ISIL)
| dedicated_to =
| map_image =
| map_text =
| map_width =
| relief =
| coordinates = {{coord|34.5542|N|38.2667|E|source:wikidata|display=title, inline}}
| website =
| extra =
}}
The Lion of Al-lāt ({{langx|ar|أسد اللات}}) is an ancient statue that adorned the Temple of Al-Lat in Palmyra, Syria. On 27 June 2015, it was severely damaged by the ISIL after it captured Palmyra.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/02/isis-militants-destroy-palmyra-stone-lion-al-lat|title=Isis militants destroy 2,000-year-old statue of lion at Palmyra|work=The Guardian|date=2 July 2015|accessdate=3 July 2015}} The statue was removed to the National Museum of Damascus and underwent reconstruction work, and now stands again.{{Cite web|url=http://sana.sy/en/?p=114930|title=Restoration works of Palmyra's famous ancient statue of Lion of Allat completed – Syrian Arab News Agency|website=sana.sy|date=October 2017|language=en-US|access-date=27 June 2018}}
File:Asad Al-Lat.stl of the statue as part of the NEWPALMYRA project]]
Description
The statue, of a lion holding a crouching gazelle, was made from limestone ashlars in the early first century AD and measured {{convert|3.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height,{{cite book|title=Roman Syria and the Near East|author=Kevin Butcher|publisher=Getty Publications|year=2003|isbn=0892367156|page=309}} weighing 15 tonnes. The lion was regarded as the consort of Al-lāt. The gazelle symbolized Al-lāt's tender and loving traits, as bloodshed was not permitted under penalty of Al-lāt's retaliation.{{cite book|title=Commemorative Figures|author=Theodorus Petrus van Baaren|publisher=Brill Archive|year=1982|isbn=9004067795|page=70}} The lion's left paw had a partially damaged Palmyrene inscription (PAT 1122) which reads: tbrk ʾ[lt] (Al-lāt will bless) mn dy lʾyšd (whoever will not shed) dm ʿl ḥgbʾ (blood in the sanctuary).Van Baaren (1982), p. 65 and Reinhard G. Lehmann: “Kein Blutvergießen!” Die Löweninschrift der ʾAllāt von Palmyra, in: ḤBL Tadmor. Studies in Palmyrene Script and Language. KUSATU 23 (2018), pp. 3-8.
History
The statue was discovered in 1977 by a group of Polish archeologists from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw (PCMA UW) working under Prof. Michał Gawlikowski.{{cite web|author=Trochimowicz|first1=Aleksandra|last2=Markowski|first2=Bartosz|date=2004|title=The Lion of Allat in Palmyra New Museum Display Project|url=https://pcma.uw.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/pam/PAM_2004_XVI/247.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=24 September 2020|website=|publisher=Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw}}{{Cite web|title=Palmyra|url=https://pcma.uw.edu.pl/en/2019/02/11/palmyra-2/|access-date=2020-09-29|website=pcma.uw.edu.pl|language=en-GB}} The lion of Al-lāt was the basis for the PCMA UW logo design.{{Cite web|title=The Lion of Palmyra is PCMA new logo|url=https://pcma.uw.edu.pl/en/2017/06/08/the-lion-of-palmyra-is-pcma-new-logo/|access-date=2020-09-29|website=pcma.uw.edu.pl}} The statue was found in pieces, having been reused in antiquity for the temple's foundation. Subsequently, it was decided to reassemble the pieces in front of the entrance to the Palmyra Museum. The task was undertaken by restorer Józef Gazy. In 2005, it underwent restoration to eliminate problems from assemblage. Ultimately, the piece was restored in imitation of its original intended appearance – a relief jumping out from a wall. During the Syrian Civil War the statue was shielded with a metal plate and sandbags to protect it from fighting.
On 27 June 2015, it was severely damaged by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant after the capture of Palmyra. After the liberation of Palmyra by the Syrian army, Syria's director-general of antiquities and museums Maamoun Abdulkarim declared that the pieces were still in place and it should be possible to reconstruct.{{cite web | date=28 March 2016|url =http://www.ilpost.it/2016/03/28/palmira-prima-e-dopo-lisis/|title=Palmira prima e dopo l'ISIS|work=Il Post|language=Italian|access-date=31 March 2016}} The statue was moved to Damascus in 2016, where it underwent complete restoration.{{cite web| url =http://tishreen.news.sy/?p=39218| title =تمثال أسد اللات.. من تدمر إلى المتحف الوطني في دمشق استعداداً لترميمه (In Arabic)| accessdate =21 July 2017| archive-date =27 June 2018| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180627065234/http://tishreen.news.sy/?p=39218| url-status =dead}} On 1 October 2017, it was fully restored, and is currently on display in the National Museum of Damascus, until safety is assured in Palmyra to move it there again.
See also
References
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{{Commons}}
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Category:1st-century Roman sculptures
Category:1st-century artifacts
Category:1977 archaeological discoveries
Category:Buildings and structures in Palmyra