46.Fragment of a lion capital
- 1st century–early 2nd century
- Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London
This winged lion capital would have sat atop a pillar (stambha) at the entrance to a religious enclosure. Its hybrid form, with a lion's head and forebody and wings that morph into the tail of an aquatic creature, embodies the cultural exchange between West Asia and India in the early centuries BCE. The winged lion is identified with Achaemenid Iran but can ultimately be traced to sphinx capitals from Attic Greek grave-marker columns.
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