Composite Lion and Bull (1500–1000 BCE)

The Composite Lion and Bull is a striking small bronze statuette from ancient Iran, dating to 1500–1000 BCE (late Bronze Age to early Iron Age). It depicts a mythical hybrid creature with two heads sharing a single body: one fierce, gaping lion head symbolizing power and aggression, and one calm bull head with horns representing fertility and strength. This chimera-like figure likely served as a sacred object of worship or a votive offering in a temple or shrine, embodying combined forces of might and creation. 

This artifact originates from northwestern Iran, likely the Luristan region (or nearby areas such as Koffrabad). Luristan is renowned for its “Luristan bronzes”—a distinctive group of cast bronze objects including animal figures, weapons, ornaments, and standard tops, often recovered from graves and sanctuaries. These items were produced by local proto-Iranian communities during a transitional period from the late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age.  

The era (1500–1000 BCE) saw shifts in the ancient Near East and Iran, as settled urban societies evolved toward more mobile or semi-nomadic groups. Indo-Iranian languages and early religious traditions (precursors to Zoroastrianism) emerged, with influences from neighboring cultures like Elam to the south and Mesopotamia. Hybrid animal motifs were widespread in ancient Near Eastern art, but this piece exemplifies a distinctly Iranian style with its simple, powerful form. 

In its cultural context, the Composite Lion and Bull belongs to the rich tradition of hybrid creatures (chimerae) in ancient Near Eastern art, which blended animal traits to represent supernatural or divine powers. The lion symbolizes strength, royalty, aggression, and protection—”king of beasts” in many cultures—while the bull embodies fertility, virility, agricultural abundance, and sacrificial power, often linked to deities of growth and earth. By merging these in one being, the figure conveys dualities: power and creation, aggression and nurture, perhaps evoking cosmic balance or a protective deity. Such composites were common in ritual contexts across the region, and in later Iranian art (e.g., Achaemenid Persepolis reliefs), lion-and-bull motifs symbolized seasonal cycles or zodiacal forces (Leo overcoming Taurus). This earlier version appears more mystical and ritualistic, likely intended to invoke divine favor, protection, or harmony in a temple setting. It was not utilitarian but sacred, possibly placed on an altar or as a finial on a standard.

The statuette is made of cast bronze, a common technique for Luristan bronzes, allowing for detailed yet stylized forms. It measures 11.4 × 9.7 × 14.8 cm (4 1/2 × 3 13/16 × 5 13/16 in.). The muscular body stands on four legs, with incised patterns such as herringbone (fishbone-like) lines on the back and legs for texture. The lion head is aggressive with an open mouth, while the bull head is serene with prominent horns. A small hole on the back suggests it may have been attached to a standard or mount. The bronze has developed a characteristic green patina over time.

The known modern provenance is as follows:  

– Until 1969: Mr. Ben Heller, New York, NY  

– 1969: Sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH  

– 1969–present: The Cleveland Museum of Art (purchased with funds from the John L. Severance Fund, accession 1969.122)  

Earlier ancient provenance (exact findspot or ownership sequence) is not documented.