The bronze lion, which has become a symbol of Venice, could have been of Chinese origin. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the University of Padua, who published their work in the journal Antiquity, CNN reports.
An analysis of metal samples showed that the copper for the bronze alloy came from the Yangtze River basin in China. This refutes previous versions that the four-meter statue, more than two meters high, was made in Venice itself, Syria or Anatolia.
The first mention of the restoration of the sculpture dates back to 1293. However, scientists have noticed that the shape of the muzzle and other details of the lion are more reminiscent of Chinese images from the Tang Dynasty (618–907) than medieval Mediterranean art. In particular, the statue shows signs of having had its horns removed — a characteristic feature of the fantastic creatures zhenmushou that guarded tombs in China.
According to researchers, the monument could have been brought to Italy by the father and uncle of the famous traveler Marco Polo. Between 1264 and 1268, they were at the court of the Mongol Khan Kublai, the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty.
After being delivered to France, the statue was probably “carefully reworked” to match the image of the symbol of St. Mark: the horns were removed and the characteristic mane was added.
