This dissertation examines the symbolism of the column-bearing lion from the Romanesque protiri (porch portals) of northern Italy. It seeks to explore the earliest surviving examples of protiri, ...namely the Porta dei Principi of Modena Cathedral, the western and southern portals of Ferrara Cathedral, the western portal of San Zeno in Verona, and the western portal of Verona Cathedral. These porch portals have a distinctive design consisting of one or two stories supported by columns resting on lions and other figures. In the Romanesque period they acted as liminal markers, as transitional spaces that mediated the shift between sacred and secular community spaces. In addition they served several practical functions in the celebration of religious rites, the proclamation of public sentences, and most importantly in this context the practice of the law. These remarkable porches have been amply studied in terms of iconography, style, chronology and historical context, but their social function has not been considered in sufficient depth. Reconsideration of documentary evidence, together with an examination of exegetical sources and iconographic models has led to new conclusions regarding the symbolism of the lion and the function of the protiro itself. The column-bearing lion is indeed the key element to understanding the specific role of the protiri. My research seeks to demonstrate that in the Romanesque period these lions and the portals they embellish were associated with sacred and civic courts of law. The lion, it will be argued, stood as a symbolic representation of the impartiality of the judge-Christ overpowering evil. In short, the column-bearing lion can be read as messenger of justice in stone.
