The lion I chose to write about today is from the Cypro-Classical Era in Salamis, Cyprus. The lion portrays strength and power and its main duty was to guard a tomb. When inspecting the appearance of the lion, the first thing I noticed is that its front two legs are crossed. This may indicate that the lion is trying to hide or protect something. The lion’s hind legs are bent and it seems as though the lion would be ready to attack at a moments notice. When looking at the lion as a whole, it doesn’t look like a typical ferocious animal. In fact, it’s body structure more closely resembles that of a dog. Another detail that I found striking about this lion is it looks like it is smiling. It is known the lions don’t smile because of happiness. However, it is interesting to think about why the person who made it decided to give it a smile. Additionally, while the lion’s mane does appear to be in the right location, it doesn’t look nearly as grand as a normal lion’s mane. It looks as if the mane has been trimmed down to make the lion look less ferocious. Overall, after an initial glance at this lion, it appears as though the lion is missing some key elements that make it seem like not a true lion. But once you study its features and posture, it is clear that this lion is stronger than any other one out there.