3-036-999 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Mosaic of a Lion Attacking an Onager, A.D. 150-200. Additional Info: A lion sinks his teeth and claws into the back of a fallen onager (wild ass) in the scene portrayed on this fragmentary mosaic. Blood flows from the wounded victim, who attempts to fight back, turning towards the lion. The scene takes place in an outdoor setting characterized by two trees, one on each side, and the bank of a stream in the foreground; the sky is suggested by a neutral, white background. A border survives on two adjoining sides of the fragment, but the original extent of the mosaic on the other sides is unknown. A single polychrome guilloche runs below the main scene.