Lion of Babylon (statue)

Lion of Babylon is a statue found in the ancient city of Babylon, Iraq. It was discovered in 1876 by a German archaeological mission. The statue is made out of black basalt black stone; it depicts a lion standing above a laying human. The statue is 2 meters in length and the platform upon which it stands is one meter.

It is proposed that the statue was built by the Chaldean king Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), but the style and materials of the statue led many to ascribe it to the Hittites; it could have been part of spoils captured by the Babylonians during the campaigns of Nebuchadnezzar II.

the statue is considered among the most important symbols of (Babylon) in particular and Mesopotamian art in general. The statue is considered a national symbol of Iraq, it has been used by several Iraqi institutions such as the Iraqi Football Association.