Feline Hunters in the Tell el Dab^ca Paintings.
Lyvia Morgan

The paper discusses the presence of lions and leopards in the Hunt Frieze from Tell el Dab^ca, situating them within the context of the programme of paintings and in relation to the broader picture of Aegean and Egyptian iconography. Questions are raised as to the relative forms and iconographic contexts of the animals in both cultural settings, with a view to understanding why such emphasis is placed on feline hunters at Tell el Dab^ca. A chronological framework is provided for the appearance of felines in hunt scenes. Cultural attitudes to feline animals are examined alongside symbolic ideas associated with the hunt.