The Piraeus Lion, Venice

The Piraeus Lion, Venice, close-up of head: one of four lion statues on display at the Venice Arsenal, displayed as a symbol of Venice's patron saint, Saint Mark. Originally located in Piraeus, the ancient harbour of Athens, looted by Venetian naval commander Francesco Morosini in 1687 as plunder taken in the Great Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire. The lion was a famous landmark in Piraeus, having stood there since the 1st or 2nd century AD. It is depicted in a sitting pose, with a hollow throat, since originally used as a fountain. It has some Runic symbols engraved on its shoulder, inscribed upon the orders of Harold the Tall, later King of Norway, in the 11th century.