Icons Built From Imports

Lead‑isotope analysis indicates Venice’s famed winged lion statue likely originated as a Tang‑dynasty Chinese tomb guardian and was later installed atop a column in the 13th century. The piece suggests it may have been acquired through Polo‑family contacts at Kublai Khan’s court, explaining its non‑Mediterranean style and horn‑removal scars. — It shows how national or civic symbols can be recontextualized foreign artifacts, complicating identity narratives and highlighting deep medieval globalization.