View of the famous lion orthostat located on the west terrace of Nemrud Dagi. This stone orthostat measures 5.5 x 8 ft. [1.75 x 2.4 m].
The body of the lion is covered with 19 stars. Each star has 8 pointed rays depicting the constellation of the Lion. Below his neck the lion wears a crescent, a symbol of the new moon.
Above the body of the lion are three—16 pointed—planets: from left to right Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. By ENLARGING this image you can view the Greek names above them!
This conjunction is said to have occurred on 14 July 109 B.C. at 7:35 PM! — the time of the coronation of Mithridates—although some suggest a date of 7 July 62 B.C. during the reign of Antiochus I.