Architectural element with Head of a Bat (Italy, 12th-13th)

Architectural element in white marble depicting a fabulous creature with the head of a bat flanked by its spreaded wings and ending with the back part and leg of a mammal. Clearly, this sort of double-bodied monstrous creature was used to ward off evil spirits. The upper part of the stone is pleasantly smooth and curved like a cushion as if it had been worn down or tread upon by ten thousands of persons. Was this a step of a stairway? A threshold for a door? A small bench as a resting place fixed to a fountain or wall of a church or castle? A windowsill? Or a decorative capital? This type of white glistening crystalline marble was imported by the Greek from Greece to their colonies in the mediterranean (magna Graecia). Therefore, this fascinating sculpture might be even older than the romanesque period. Wear and loss, one old restoration in the upper right corner. Nice patina. Dimensions: W50xH24xD26 cm.