Roman Mosaic Depicting Two Hunters and a Lion

At the extreme ends of the frieze the two hunters carrying shields and swords are ready to charge the threatened lion, which is poised between branches as if about to leap. The twisting plant growth provides cover for both hunters and beast, and presents a very attractive impression of dense forest; both powerful in the curling of the thick trunks and delicate in the petals of the flowers. There is considerable drama in the body postures of the men and in their intense expressions-- captured at the crucial and dangerous moment when the lion is cornered. This mosaic has been reconstructed using ancient and modern materials.

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