The sculpture, which is called the Guennol Lioness, is less than four inches tall, but its price made it the most expensive sculpture ever sold. History experts believe that the lioness may be a carving of a figure from the mythology of Mesopotamia.
The sculpture was carved out of white limestone. At 5,000 years old, it was created around the time that people first began using the wheel. It was originally discovered at a site near Baghdad.
The sculpture has been in the Brooklyn Museum of Art since 1948. An anonymous English buyer made the recent 57-million-dollar purchase.
Related Links
- Lion sculpture gets record price
Story of the sculpture, its history and purchase. Includes a photo. (Source: BBC, December 6, 2007) - Map of Mesopotamia
Map of Mesopotamia, includes ancient cities and current countries. (Source: BBC)