Ancient lioness head?

Hello everyone,
i bought this item in South italy about 30 years ago...it's made of limestone...i don't know if it's a decoration of an old palace and if it is 50 or 500 years old....could someone help?
txs

 

another pic

 

the last one

 

In addition to what @i need help said, a pic of the back of the neck would also be good and dimensions are always helpful.

 

it's about 40-50 cm long, 25 height

 

What looks like a lioness to our modern eyes was probably meant to be a lion or leopard to Medieval (ore earlier) eyes.
I suspect it came from a restauration project. Replaced by a new similar lion in prtistine condition, ready for a few more centuries. My parents had a piece from the Alhambra (Granada, Spain) that had been replaced by a new one.

Sicily, Il Gattopardo? The Leopard, a novel by Giuseppe di Lampedusa. And a film by Luchino Visconti, beautiful.
Maybe there is a connection with the Lampedusa family?

 

(for those needing the conversion: 17.5"-19.5" long, 9.8" height)

 

A panther/pantheress is the traditional companion animal of Bacchus/Dionysus. Lots of Bacchanalian decoration in Roman villas. Could be a replica of some such element. INH asks a good question: any evidence of a functional purpose?

 

no....no holes..i remember something about my father telling me that it came from a old palace... XiX century garden or facade decoration?

 

No no connection with Sicily or Visconti's movie...place of originuglia, between Taranto and Lecce

 

sry i mean puglia

 

As good a guess as any. Don't think we will be able to tell you anything more. Fun piece, though. What do/will you do with it?

 

probably sell...if i find a buyer...i've toooo many stuff in my house
txs for your time