The Zincirli lions were discovered during excavations at Zincirli Hoyok in Turkey. They were executed under Aramaean influence and were part of the portal of the Citadel of Sam’al (Zincirli). They are part of a group of lions, some of which are now also in the Istanbul Archeological Museum.
The city of Sam’al in Turkey developed during the late Hittite era, and became the capital of the late Hittite Kingdom, before becoming part of the Assyrian Empire. When the German Oriental Society began the excavation they found a teardrop shaped citadel which was surronded by a wall. In this excavation that they found five giant statues of lions carved from stone. These lions stood guard over the city gates, forming the base of the columns at the gate. They are all that remains of the columns.
