The
Lion Capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four
Indian lions standing back to back, on an elaborate base that includes other animals. A graphic representation of it was adopted as the official
Emblem of India in 1950. It was originally placed atop the
Asoka pillar at the important
Buddhist site of
Sarnath by the
Emperor Ashoka, in about 250 BCE. The pillar, sometimes called the Asoka Column, is still in its original location, but the Lion Capital is now in the
Sarnath Museum, in the state of
Uttar Pradesh,
India. Standing 2.15 metres (7 feet) high including the base, it is more elaborate than the other very similar surviving capitals of the pillars of
Ashoka bearing the
Edicts of Ashoka that were placed throughout India (including modern
Nepal,
Pakistan and
Afghanistan) several of which feature single animals at the top; one other damaged group of four lions survives, at
Sanchi.