Lions as a symbol?

upncmnhistori

Sometimes I see a lion symbol on a pump. I notice that in some historic features there are lions attached whether its on a door, pump, carved into buildings. I can think of hand but what does the lion symbol on historic items mean? I know we would just call them a feature today but they must come from some type of heritage. Sometimes you will see the British Coat of Arms with the Lion on the left and a Unicorn on the right. I know one of those used to exist on the old town courthouse in galway city now the town hall theatre.

maithanfear

the lion is a symbol of dominance and empires traditionally employed them as a symbol of their own dominance. same goes for the eagle

SunKing

maithanfear is correct, also a symbol associated with bravery, power too

pedroeibar1

maithanfear wrote: »

the lion is a symbol of dominance and empires traditionally employed them as a symbol of their own dominance.

That comment is totally incorrect. Lions represent compassion, courage, strength and nobleness.
The use of the lion in heraldry is ancient, has deep mythological significance and has nothing to do with 'empires' or dominance.

Peregrinus

As a symbol, the lion can mean practically anything. Its symbolic use is ancient; in pharaonic Egypt, the pharaoh was symbolised by a lion with a human head. In that culture, a more naturalistic symbol of a lion symbolised royal power, royal protection or royal authority.

A four-headed lion was adopted as the symbol of an early Indian dynasty, the Maurya. It's one of India's national symbols today.

A lion was said to be the symbol of the Israelite tribe of Judah. Lions are used in the Hebrew scriptures to symbolise ferocity.

In Europe, the lion has frequently been adopted as a royal and/or national symbol. The coat of arms of Scotland shows a single lion; the English coat of arms showed two lions, later extended to three. Lions appear on the arms of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, Norway, the Netherlands and other countries besides.

In Christian iconography, lions variously symbolise dominance, dominion, the sun, strength, power, leadership, courage, martyrdom, Solomon, St. Mark, Christ, greed, oppression, the past, the future. Take your pick.

Used on a building or a piece of public architecture like a pump, the lion is probably taken from the coat of arms of the individual, or the municipality, which erected it. Since the designs of coats of arms don't necessarily symbolise anything - people choose arms because they find them pleasing - then it need not symbolise anything in this context, other than telling you who erected the building or structure.