stone lion
Carved feline sentinel
A stone lion is a sculptural representation of a lion carved from stone, typically placed in pairs to guard entrances to buildings, bridges, or estates.
These figures appear across cultures—Chinese guardian lions (foo dogs), the lions outside the New York Public Library, heraldic lions flanking European manor gates.
Stone lions stood sentinel at the temple entrance.
The phrase sometimes appears figuratively for something imposing but immobile.
- guardianProtective caretaker of another
- statueThree-dimensional sculpted likeness
- ChineseOf that Asian nation
- Chinese mythologyTraditional sacred stories from Asia
- templeSacred worship structure
Forbidden City · pedestal · carved · marble · granite · foo dog · entrance · front door · imperial · imperial palace · palace · majestic · protective · good luck · ancient · sculpture · pair · ornamental
- stone statuessphinx, marble bust, granite monument, Easter Island head
- yard decorwreath, garden gnome, lawn flamingo, garden ornament, bird bath
- Asian Sculptureseated Buddha, standing Buddha, garden Buddha, Bodhisattva, foo dog
- lion loreSphinx, Aslan, Mufasa, Simba, king of beasts
- stone monumentsobelisk, monolith, menhir, dolmen, stele
- temple decoraltar cloth, altar piece, guardian statue, incense burner, hanging lantern