Lions in Scotland??

[auld argonian]

Almost any of the explanations are feasible. I'd like to throw in the fact that Ancient Celts spanned a very wide area in Europe...as far East as Northern Turkey and well down into the Iberian Peninsula. Some bit of documentary that I recently saw parts of on Youtube pointed out similarities between some forms of Irish music and dance and those of Northern African cultures. The reasoning seems to be that there was a flow of culture through the Iberian Peninsula and by sea along the Western coast of Europe up into the British Isles. Surely the image of the lion was very well known in Northern Africa and in the "nearly Middle Eastern" part of Ancient Turkey.

Just another possibility to muddy the waters!

Best

AA

[macwilkin]

Actually, the answer has already been posted. The House of Canmore is given credit for the adoption of the Lion Rampant. William was known as "the Lion", so hence the adoption of a lion on William's arms. Some sources credit Alexander II as "formally" adopting the lion on his seal in 1266.

Regards,

Todd

[Amoskeag]

That works!

[Archangel]

So I'm pondering the name of the Scottish Lion catalog. Then got to wondering how lions became part of Scottish heraldry.

I'm no biologist but I don't think lions ever roamed free in Scotland. And I don't recall any big market for ancient Scots going on African safaris to hunt lions.

How did the Scots even know about lions? Did the invading Romans bring them along?

Just curious...seems kind of like having a Native Alaskan flag or crest with a palm tree on it.

Enlightenment appreciated.

Ron

The heraldry question has been well covered.

As far as native lions, there were big cats but not big like lions.

There was a dark ages trade in exotic animals and you can read about animals showing up as prizes in remote places. Just like today.

It may be that lions were kept in the Edinburgh castle but I'd like to see better historical evidence for it.

[Big Homestead]

Interesting thread!

[Rab Gordon]

Our cat who thinks he's really a lion.......

Rab

[davedove]

There were at one time lions in Europe, but they had died out by the 2nd century. I don't know how they compared to the African lion, but they did exist.

Of course, by the 13th century, they were not around, so the normal European would not have seen one, short of someone having an exotic animal. Now kings were not the normal European and would have been much more likely to have an exotic animal or to have traveled or visited someone who did.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

The heraldic lion is an import from the Old Testament. The late Sir Ian Moncrieff of that Ilk posited that it came to Scotland from Ireland; what you all have to remember is that heraldry (as we know it) dates pretty much from the 12th century... and that heraldry (as we now practice it) is pretty much a 19th century affliction!