Lyle’s Golden Syrup lion: is logo of syrup tin a dead lion? Story behind packaging design explained

Every now and again, the internet discovers something that it probably could have done without - like that chainsaws were originally invented as a tool to help with childbirth, or that back in the day, vanilla flavouring used something called castoreum, which was harvested from beavers anal glands.

The most recent “did you know…” discovery that’s taking over social media has to do with the logo of the ever popular Lyle’s Golden Syrup tin.

This is what you need to know.

What’s up with the lion in the logo?

Well, as one Twitter user put it: “Tell me I’m not the only one who didn’t realise the lion on Lyle’s Golden Syrup packaging is depicted dead?!”

That’s right, while you may remember that the logo features a lion, you might not have realised that no, it’s not simply sleeping, it is, in fact, dead.

In the logo, underneath the lion, you’ll notice some text that reads: “Out of the strong came forth sweetness.”

It’s this quote that actually holds the answer as to why the logo for golden syrup is that of a rotting lion’s carcass.

But… why is it dead?

This is what the Lyle’s Golden Syrup website has to say about the matter: “Lyle had strong religious beliefs, which is why the tin’s famous logo depicts strongman Samson’s “lion and bees” from the Bible’s Old Testament, registered as Lyle’s trademade. “Out of the strong came forth sweetness,” as the quote goes; where bees produce honey inside the lion’s carcass, rich syrup pours from the well-loved tin… And the logo and the design remain unchanged to this day (along with the delicious contents, of course).”

For those not familiar with the story of Samson’s riddle, which makes up chapter 14 of the Book of Judges, this is how it goes. It starts when Samson decides to marry a Philistine woman, against the wishes of his parents. Whilst travelling to Tinmah to meet the woman, Samson is attacked by a young lion - however, the spirit of the lord overcomes Samson and he is able to tear the animal apart with his bare hands.

Later, when Samson is once again travelling to Timnah to marry the Philistine woman, he comes across the spot where he had killed the lion, and discovers that a swarm of bees have created a hive within the carcass. Samson takes some of the honey from the hive for himself and his parents, but does not tell anyone about the lion or where the honey came from.

At his wedding feast, Samson bets 30 linen garments and 30 outfits of clothes that his Philistine wedding guests won’t be able to solve his riddle within seven days.

The riddle is: “Out of the eater came something to eat / And out of the strong came something sweet.”

After being threatened by the wedding guests, Samson’s wife eventually gets the answer to the riddle out of her new husband, and subsequently passes the solution to the riddle back along to the Philistine wedding guests.

On the seventh day, the guests give their answer to Samson, stating: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?”

In order to pay the price of the wager, Samson travels to Ashkelon and murders 30 Philistines, and takes their clothes. Knowing that his wife betrayed him, Samson instead returns to his own family, and she is given to one of the guests.

This incident acts as a catalyst for a series of violent conflicts between Samson and the Philistines, which is then described in later chapters of the Bible.