Artistic and Metaphoric Symbolism of a Lion

Abstract

A symbol from one point includes an information, knowledge about any person, group. Subject or institution, from the other, it brings an emotion. Any action of a person, his/her point of view, idea or belief is expressed by the symbols. One of the ancient symbols is a Lion. Allegorically it is interpreted as strong, brave, fearless. From the root LOM/ლომ a lot of names have been originated. A lion, as one of the components, is actively used in idioms, phrases and collocations. Lomi/ლომი“ – a lion is frequently used in proverbs. In Georgian, a personal name Levan is formed as Leon, which means a lion. A lion was perceived as an animal of a divine meaning, and the color of its coat connected it with the sun. In the temples of the Near East, an image of a lion dominates, which resembles to the fixed image themes of a lion, for the same period Georgia. A lion, distributed in the pagan period Georgia as a Christian Symbol, is connected to its strong roots and it is also expressed in the new religion. It is also shown in the ceaseless themes of a lion in the pagan and epichristian periods. A metaphor of a lion is interestingly expressed in the ecclesiastic literature. In some casesiut is a metaphor of the Christ (eg.: dormiation of a lion means the death of a human nature of the Christ), and sometimes it expresses an evil’s power. In hagiography mostly is met an example while the impact of an Ascetic wildest and horrible beast – a „Lion“. When talking about these facts the hagiographists are guided by a certain tendencies. With these facts they wanted to show the greatness of Christian moral, as though the bearers of which had an influence on the beasts.