A Lion Head Waterspout in the Shefton Gallery at the Hancock Museum, Newcastle.
Terracotta lion head water spout in two halves, 500-400 BC
Waterspouts were a part of the guttering system in large buildings such as temples. They were used to drain rainwater from roofs and were often very decorative. This lion head once formed part of a waterspout of a small shrine, probably from San Biagio near the Greek colony of Metapontum in Southern Italy. Until very recently, the two halves of the lion were is separate collections.