This Mesopotamian glazed terra-cotta lion dates from about XIV BCE.
I am however, a little younger than he is, and not quite as patched together ! He was probably fired in several pieces
and assembled after coming out of the kiln.

This lion figure was found near the gate of the temple of Inshushinak in the area of the Acropolis at Susa.
The figure was one of many "guardian figures" that commonly adorned temples of that period, in hopes that these
figures would be threatening to adversaries.

The next two images show the monumentality of other guardian figures found at the gates of citadels and palaces
in the Mesopotamian region. Their sheer size is impressive, as well as their ferocity.

And yes, this image of me looking at the Mesopotamian Lion is very similar to one I posted on my May 2012 gallery,
because it is one of my favorite pieces of ancient art in the Louvre.
So it may be a "Paris trip ritual" to revisit it photographically !