The Lion (St Mark) and Bovine (St Luke)

The Lion, symbol of St Mark and the Ox, symbol of St Luke. There are many images of animals throughout the Book of Kells, from exotic peacocks, lions and snakes to more domestic cats, hares and goats. There has been much research into their significance. Some like the goats were presumably part of everyday life but others could have been pagan symbols carried over into the Christian era.