A lion sculpture was found in the excavation area of Porta Barete, in the town of L'Aquila in Abruzzo.
The limestone lion came to light on February 14, and is very similar to others previously found in the area.
It is missing its legs, and archaeologists think it was probably paired with another lion, which they are now looking for. The lion was positioned at one of the entrances of the walls, uncovered during the excavations, dating to the late 13th century.
Another pair of lions found in the village of Preturo, 6 km from L’Aquila, in 1912 are now kept at the Getty Museum in Malibu, California.
The entire area of Abruzzo has revealed several Roman funerary lions during the years.
