Frequently taking the shape of fantastic beasts, like this lion, aquamanilia were used both in liturgical hand washing rituals and as sumptuous table adornments during feasts. Popular in medieval Germany, these vessels were based on precedents from ancient Greek, Byzantine, and Islamic cultures, obtained through trade, diplomatic gifts, and wartime looting. Lions had been imported from Asia and Africa to Europe for centuries, though artists typically portrayed them in anthropomorphized ways. Here the lion’s fur and features are conveyed through delicate, sparse detail, with much of the ewer left smooth; the bronze was cast hollow, an ancient technique, for it to fulfill its function.