A significant part of Phoenician ivory production was dedicated to decorative elements for horse harnesses: blinkers, trapezoidal plates and fan-shaped ornaments for the heads of animals. In contrast to the metal replicas, these ornamental elements were not used to protect horses during armed conflicts, but rather to decorate them during religious or official processions. Presumably, these lionesses' heads were attached to the leather background of, for example, the rein guards by means of a gilded element. The animal's eyebrows were inlaid with lapis lazuli paste and the whole was covered with gold leaf, a remarkably meticulous and expensive finish for these small items.