Hollandse penning van Floris IV, 1222-1234 1222 - 1234

This small silver coin was minted in Holland between 1222 and 1234 under the reign of Floris IV. Notice the prominent image of a lion. In the early Middle Ages, the lion was not just a beast, but a symbol laden with meaning. Across cultures, the lion is associated with royalty, courage, and divine power. We find it as a heraldic emblem across Europe, and even earlier, guarding ancient temples in Egypt. Consider how the lion’s roar, once a call of the wild, has been tamed and repurposed to signify authority. This symbolic appropriation speaks to a deep, perhaps subconscious, human desire to harness the power of the natural world. Each time we see the lion – be it on a medieval shield or a modern logo – it evokes the same primal emotions of awe and respect. Its image travels across time, constantly reshaped by the fears, aspirations, and cultural obsessions of each new age.