Italian scientists have found evidence suggesting that the iconic bronze winged lion atop a granite column in Venice's St Mark's Square was at least partly made in China. The research, due to be published in the journal Antiquity, indicates that the copper ore used to cast the statue was mined in the Yangtze River basin in south-eastern China.
Lead isotope analysis on samples from the lion revealed that the copper originated from the lower Yangtze area. The scientists noted that lead isotopes provide a reliable method to link metals to their original ore deposits. The statue may have been brought to Venice by Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, the father and uncle of Marco Polo, after their visit to the Mongol court in Khanbaliq (modern-day Beijing).
The study also suggests that the lion shares similarities with a Tang Dynasty tomb guardian statue, known as a zhènmùshòu, which warded off evil spirits. The statue originally had horns, which were later removed and the ears shortened to adapt it to the Venetian emblem of the winged lion of St Mark.
Co-author Massimo Vidale from the University of Padua stated that the sculpture's history is largely unknown, including when it arrived in Venice, where it was reworked, and when it was placed on the column. The research highlights the geographical reach of the Venetian Republic and the interconnectedness of medieval trade networks, including the Silk Road.
Previous scholarly suggestions for the statue's origin included Mesopotamia, ancient Persia, or ancient Greece. Vidale commented, 'Venice is a city full of mysteries, but one has been solved: the Lion of Saint Mark is Chinese, and he walked the Silk Road.'
