Isotope analysis indicates that the iconic Winged Lion sculpture in St. Mark’s Square, Venice was cast from copper ore obtained in the Lower Yangzi River basin. Comparison with parallels from Tang Dynasty China suggests this symbol of medieval Venetian statehood in fact originated far to the east, possibly brought back along the Silk Road by Niccolò and Maffeo Polo.
Atop one of the two large columns in Venice’s Piazza San Marco stands a bronze sculpture of a winged lion. Originally a religious symbol, the ‘Venetian Winged Lion’ developed into an icon of Venetian political power, even depicted on the Republic’s flag.
However, despite its importance to Venice’s culture and history, the Lion sculpture is almost ignored in historic texts and its origins are unknown.
“We don’t know when the sculpture arrived in Venice, where it was reworked, who did it, or when it was erected on the column where it is still visible today”, says co-author of the research, Dr Massimo Vidale from the Università degli Studi di Padova.
Whilst previous scholars have suggested the Lion was inspired by Mesopotamian and Persian lion-headed griffins, stylistically it appears much more similar to tomb guardian sculptures (zhènmùshòu (镇墓兽)) from Tang Dynasty China.
To work out where this Venetian ‘super-symbol’ came from, Dr Gilberto Artioli, Dr Vidale and other researchers in Italy performed lead isotope analysis on samples of the Lion, determining where the copper ore used in its production originated.
“Lead isotopes provide a reliable means to link metals to their original ore deposits”, state the authors.
In this case, the isotopes indicate that the copper ore used to cast the statue was mined in the Yangzi River basin in China.
Additionally, visual examination of the Lion suggests parts and posture were radically modified and that it used to have horns, meaning it more closely resembled a hybrid zhènmùshòu rather than a winged lion.
This suggests the sculpture was originally a Tang Dynasty tomb guardian, later modified to remove the horns and shorten its ears once it reached Europe, making it better fit the image of a winged lion (the symbol of St. Mark) desired by the Venetians.
Examples of medieval contact between China and Europe are rare, so these findings could indicate previously unknown trade connections.
Alternatively, it is possible that Niccolò and Maffeo Polo (Marco Polo’s father and uncle respectively) encountered the sculpture during their visit to the Mongol court in Khanbaliq (modern Beijing) and sent it back along the Silk Road.
Overall, this study questions the traditional narrative that the Lion was inspired by Mesopotamian or Persian examples and indicates that medieval Venice’s well-documented international reach may have been even more extensive than we thought, portraying the impressive connectivity of the medieval world.
"Venice is a city full of mysteries, but one has been solved: the "Lion" of St. Mark is Chinese, and he walked the Silk Road”, Dr Vidale concludes.