Eagle and hare closure slab from the middle Byzantine era in Thessaloniki

This stone slab was part of the closure slab from a church in Thessaloniki. It dates back to the 10th or 11th century. The middle Byzantine era was a period of prosperity and it can be felt in the artistic production.

Many other similar sculptures of the time are showcasing myhtological animals, indicating that the Byzantines interacted and were culturally influenced by neighboring people on their eastern borders.

However in the case of this slab, the depiction shows an eagle capturing an hare.