Lions in Scotland??

[David Thornton]

Ah, Ron. I'll loan you anything out of my library you wish to read (I have over 200 books on African adventure, hunting and history) and I think you will be amazed at how many Scots contribute the the mapping, exploration and hunting in Africa. I am sure you don't know, but I hunt every three years or so with (distant) cousin Sandy McDonald in S Africa. His father Alex McDonald was a pioneer in game farming S Africa. Game farming gave the native game animals value and thus saved them from extinction at the hands of natives and pioneers who wanted to turn the entire country into farmland, which it is not suited for.

Now I'll not pretend for a moment that that explains your question, but I assure you Scots explorers did indeed pursue adventure in Africa.

Hmm, I'm going back next year to see my sister, I could arrange a really cool personal kilted tour of S Africa, any takers?

David

[Cage]

slightly off time frame, but an interesting read...
Tower Lions

[ccga3359]

Let's not forget that the Romans occupied much of Britain two millennia ago. True they may not have been able to scale a 3' high wall to get into Scotland but they where pretty much everywhere else in Europe and Africa. could they have introduced the lion as a symbol? We also had King Richard the Lion-Hearted. As for dragons not existing, of interesting note they do show up in different cultures that had no connection with each other. And lastly might I remind you that there was a Stewart that saw a 6' rabbit that no one else saw!

[gilmore]

...Look at it this way: many folks have used the double-headed eagle (the Byzantines, the Hapsburgs, etc.) to symbolize an Empire in the East and West. It's not about actually seeing a double-headed eagle.

Regards,

Todd

I recently read an anecdote about a prince from one of the eastern European royal or imperial families who was brought an eagle that had been killed on his estate. He refused to believe it was indeed an eagle, since it had only one head.

[McGurk]

Don't forget there is a lot of Lion imagery in the Bible. Sampson & the lion, "Lion of Judah" etc.
North Africa was once a big Christian center, Crusaders, knights & pilgrims to the Holy land could've seen lions on their travels.

I think that is probably the biggest factor in them knowing of lions. The bible these days carries less weight then it did back then. Back in those days, Kings where kings because it was gods will. The bible was also probably the most common book around and imagery from it would have been hugely polular.

[James MacMillan]

Two things - There are also a lot of dragons used in shields and crests, and I don't think anyone ever saw one of those?

And didn't lions once roam through out Europe, not just Africa?

Let's ask one of the time travelers to find out for us.

[Abax]

Two things - There are also a lot of dragons used in shields and crests, and I don't think anyone ever saw one of those?

I saw a dragon in Australia:



This guy's about 2 meters long.

Abax

[James MacMillan]

I saw a dragon in Australia:

Point taken and accepted. I also like the shots here.

[Bill]

Ron:

I don't remember the time frame but I saw recently on the History channel the ond of the Scots Kings kept a lion pit just outside of his chambers complete with removable bridge that could be removed. Should Edinbrough (sp?) castle be attacked and things were not going well he could withdraw to his chambers withdraw the bridge and let the attackers get chummy with the lions below if they were foolish enough to try and cross. BTW whilst they were playing with the kitties he made good his escape throught a secret tunnel. It bugs me daylights out of me that I can't recall the kings' name right now.
I said all that to indicate that there must have been some who were well aquainted with the lion in Scotland at one time or another.

Bill

[Sardious]

Even if he went on a Crusade he wouldn't have been in lion country

Lions are common in all cultures but as to the quote above.

Jesus's 2 most common nicknames in prophecy and in the "bew testament" would be Lamb of God and Lion of Judah
Judah was one of the 12 tribes and as Lion of Judah represents power and kingship

Also danger is often listen in the Bible as "like a lion" in that it creeps up on you but is very dealy. Also Satan is likened unto a roaring lion seeking to destroy. So being in the crusades you probably heard a lot of daily preaching and lion is not an uncommon term.

Still lions in symbol are probably still common before the crusades. Most cultures concider the lion the bets hunter or strongest animal. Cats in general are pound for pound better killers than most any other animal and outside of a tiger a lion is about the biggest cat.
If you have kids I'm sure they love the "king of the jungle" songs from lion king and jungle book movies.

As far as lions existing in scotland......only in name comparison. To the best that I know of the species never lived there. I never read any history book of lions in scotland