The bull and lion

How to interpret the different images? Do they form separate images or should they be seen as part of bigger scenes? These questions are raised when we ask ourselves what the man with the axe intends to use it for.

The axe is a weapon and as such requires an enemy and/or a victim. If the images are independent, then the axe is likely to have been intended to kill the bull. However, it seems unlikely that the man would kill his own mount, especially not while riding on it.

Most scholars have therefore assumed the axe is intended for the lion, even if the lion is already being killed by the archer. It might seem less heroic to kill a lion from behind, especially if it is already being killed by someone else, but teaming up to defeat such a fierce enemy might have been deemed wise. Going into battle on a bull, however, remains a surprising choice.

It is also atypical that both men are left-handed. This might be a coincidence, but might also reflect that the same individual is depicted twice in different scenes. Right-handedness was the social norm in the period (and throughout most of known human history).

However, this detail cannot be explained by assuming that it reflects this specific individual’s left-handedness. These images do not depict what someone looked like, but show specific actions and roles. They are not portraits in our sense of the word. Perhaps something went wrong in the execution of the shield when drawings of right-handed individuals were embossed inversely.