Griffin
Most famously known for being a mishmash of several creatures, the griffin (sometimes spelled griffon or gryphon) was the decorative motif favored by ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures. Sporting the body of a lion, which can be with or without wings, and a bird’s head, usually that of an eagle. Again, much like with the dragon, the precise origins of the griffin are not exactly known.
Many scholars believe its origins lie in a large area of Southwest Asia, known as Levant, most likely in the 2nd millennium BCE. By the 14th century BCE, the Greeks and Minoans adopted the Asiatic griffin but altered a few features, giving it a mane of spiral curls instead of the traditional crested head. Often, its beak would be open to reveal a curling tongue. Although the griffin was revered as a sacred creature, the Greeks sometimes paired it with a sphinx, the exact nature of why still alludes historians to this day.
Learn more about the beautiful Griffin here
Decorate your coffee table with this incredible bronze statue of a Griffin here
