2nd Post - The cultural image of Panthera leo volatilis - London & Venice

If you cast your memory back to the first post, just look downwards if you can't remember, you may remember that Panthera leo volatilis is a symbol of peace. Yesterday I came across a picture of our winged lion with an open book (peace not war) on a sink in the Patrick Mavros Store, it was on La Chapelle sink, similar to this one.

There is a city, which is based on a hundred and seventeen islands in a marsh, called Venice, which uses Panthera leo volatilis in its municipal coat of arms

In Durant Imboden's website Venice for Visitors, we are told that the reason for the winged lion emblem in Venice is due, possibly, to a Ninth century legend. Several Chamber of Commerce types stole the remains of Saint Mark the Evangelist's body from his tomb in Alexandria, Egypt. During the crossing of the Mediterranean, a storm arose and a vision of St. Mark saved the crew and the ship. When the ship finally arrived in Venice's port, the religious and council officials adopted Saint Mark as their patron saint and his emblem, a winged lion.

According to Jan Morris, her description of Venice's feline population wasn't always limited to the domesticated species. Emblematic lions were painted, carved and supported architectural decorations, citizens even had lions in their gardens - one example is a where a lion died from gilt poisoning after licking the bars of his gold cage in the Piazza.

The linked picture shows workmen moving a Winged Lion, the symbol of the Venice Film Festival which is held in August each year.

1st Post and the details from the Christmas Card if you haven't got it yet.

The Winged Lion (Panthera leo volatilis) is a mammal member of the family FELIDAE from the genus PANTHERA. The male is recognised with its' smaller mane and wings that are attached to its shoulders. Its weight can reach up to 250 kilogrammes and a wingspan of 50 feet.

The winged lion is said to be a symbol of peace. If it is accompanied by a closed book, it is said to be a symbol of war.

The Gates of Xerxes at Perespolis had winged lions at the corner of one entrance.

The British Museum holds an example of a human-headed winged lion; the Shedu were also engraved on tablets and buried under the door's thresholds as they were beneficent protective deities.

Despite an obvious similarity, Panthera leo volatilis has no biological relationship to the records of winged lions. The cats have wings due to Feline Cutaneous Asthenia or felted mats of hair.

Panthera leo volatilis has pneumatised bones and interior air sacs to create a lighter body mass.

There is some controversy over the origin of Panthera leo volatilis' flight, Is the species species an arboralist or a cursorialist?

Panthera leo volatilis has the necessary evolutionary essentials to fly and if we can believe an elephant can fly then we can also believe next year will be a better one than this.

Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year

Http://pantheraleovolatilis.blogspot.com for more details