The griffin,^[1] is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature (often known as "fabulous creatures" in historical literature The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. Eagles are large birds of prey which are members of the Bird order Falconiformes and family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally known for guarding treasure. ^[2] In antiquity it was a symbol of divine power and a guardian of the divine. The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece Divinity and divine (sometimes 'the Divinity' or 'the Divine' are broadly applied but loosely defined terms used variously within different faiths and belief systems — ^[3]

Most contemporary illustrations give the griffin the forelegs of an eagle, with an eagle's legs and talons, although in some older illustrations it has a lion's forelimbs; it generally has a lion's hindquarters. A claw is a curved pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most Mammals, Birds, and some Reptiles. Its eagle's head is conventionally given prominent ears; these are sometimes described as the lion's ears, but are often elongated (more like a horse's), and are sometimes feathered. The ear is the sense organ that detects Sounds The Vertebrate ear shows a common biology from Fish to Humans with variations The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae.

Infrequently, a griffin is portrayed without wings (or a wingless eagle-headed lion is identified as a griffin); in 15th-century and later heraldry such a beast may be called an alce or a keythong. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. In heraldry, a griffin always has aquiline forelimbs; the beast with leonine forelimbs is distinguished as the opinicus.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early civilizations 1.2 Scythia 1.3 Ancient Greece 2 Medieval lore 3 In heraldry 3.1 Male griffin, alce or keythong 3.2 Opinicus 3.3 Other oddities 3.4 Similar heraldic beasts 4 In architecture 5 In literature 6 In natural history 7 As a first name and surname 8 Persian firstname 9 Notes and references 10 See also 11 External links

History

Early civilizations

Several griffin-like creatures - beasts with the head of an eagle or some other bird of prey - occur in art, architecture and mythology of many early civilizations. Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision

In Minoan Crete, such creatures were royal animals and guardians of throne rooms. The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. Crete ( Greek: Κρήτη transliteration: Krētē, modern transliteration Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the ^[4]

In Ancient Egypt, a similar creature was depicted with a slender, feline body and the head of a falcon; this is tentatively identified as an axex. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. ^[5] Early statuary depicts them with wings that are horizontal and parallel along the back of the body. During the New Kingdom, depictions of griffins included hunting scenes. The New Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Egyptian Empire, is the period in Ancient Egyptian history between the 16th century BC and

Of the two sacred "birds" of Persian mythology, the homa and the simurgh, the homa is often described as griffin-like. By Persian Mythology is meant the myths and sacred narratives of the culturally and linguistically related group of ancient peoples who inhabited the Iranian Plateau Homa (in Persian هما) is a Griffin -like mythological creature (with a head of an eagle and body of a lion and Symbol in Simurgh or Simorgh (سیمرغ sometimes spelled Simurg or Simoorg, also known as Angha (عنقا is the modern Persian name for Ancient Elamites used such a creature extensively in their architecture. Elam is the name of an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran. During the Achaemenid Empire, homa were used widely as statues and symbols in palaces. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Homa also had a special place in Persian literature as guardians of light. Persian literature ( spans two and a half millennia though much of the pre- Islamic material has been lost

Scythia

The griffin was a common feature of "animal style" Scythian gold. The Wyoming Dinosaur Center is located in Thermopolis, Wyoming and is one of the few Dinosaur Museums in the world to have its own excavation In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th It was said to inhabit the Scythian steppes that reached from the modern Ukraine to central Asia; there gold and precious stones were abundant and when strangers approached to gather the stones, the creatures would leap on them and tear them to pieces. In physical Geography, a steppe ( German, from степь - "a flat and arid land" степ - /stɛp/ тал - tal дала - /dɑlɑ/ pronounced Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The Scythians used giant petrified bones found in this area as proof of the existence of these griffins and thus keep outsiders away from the gold and precious stones. In Geology, petrifaction or petrification is the process by which Organic material is converted into stone or a similar substance without

Adrienne Mayor, a classical folklorist, has recently suggested that these "griffin bones" were actually dinosaur fossils, which are common in this part of the world. Adrienne Mayor (b1946 is a classical folklorist and historian of science History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological FOSSIL is a standard protocol for allowing serial communication for Telecommunications programs under the DOS Operating system. In The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times, she makes tentative connections between the rich fossil beds around the Mediterranean and across the steppes to the Gobi Desert and the myths of griffins, centaurs and archaic giants originating in the Classical world. The Gobi (Говь Govi or Gov', "gravel-covered plain" Chinese: zh-t 戈壁(沙漠 Gēbì (Shāmò) In Greek mythology, the centaurs (from Ancient Greek: Κένταυροι - Kéntauroi are a race of creatures composed of part Human Mayor draws upon similarities that exist between the prehistoric Protoceratops skeletons of the steppes leading to the Gobi Desert, and the legends of the gold-hoarding griffin told by nomadic Scythians of the region. Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" Protoceratops (meaning 'First Horned Face' derived from Greek proto-/πρωτο- 'first' cerat-/κερατ- 'horn' In Biology, the skeleton is a strong and often a rigid framework that supports the body of an animal holding it upright and giving it shape and strength (Also skeletal ^[6]

Ancient Greece

Bronze griffin protome (Archaeological Museum, Delphi)

A satyr, a griffin and an Arimaspe. In Greek mythology, satyrs (Σάτυροι Satyroi) are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus – " Satyresses quot Detail from an Attic red-figure chalice-crater, c. 375–350 BC, from Eretria

In archaic Greek art bronze cauldrons fitted with apotropaic bronze griffon heads ("protomes") with gaping beaks, prominent upstanding ears and often a finial knop on the skull appear with such regularity that they are considered a genre, the Griefenkessel, by specialists. This is an article about the Greek city of Eretria on Euboea It should not be confused with Eretria in western Magnesia, Greece or the modern African nation The art of ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries from ancient times until the present particularly in the areas of Sculpture The "griffin cauldrons" are discussed by Ulf Jantzen, Griechische Griefenkessel (Berlin) 1955. Based on Anatolian prototypes for bronze cauldrons with animal heads, Jantzen concluded that the griffon cauldron was a Greek invention of c. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black 700 BC, the earliest examples hammered over moulds rather than cast. Such griffon cauldrons were developed simultaneously in Samos and in Etruscan territories from the earliest 7th through the 6th centuries BC. Samos (Σάμος is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy The earliest Etruscan example is the famous griffon protomes from the Barberini Tomb. ^[7]

In Greek literature, Scythian mythology is reflected by Hellenic writers' tales of griffins and the Arimaspi of distant Scythia near the cave of Boreas, the North Wind (Geskleithron), such as were elaborated in the lost archaic poem of Aristeas of Proconnesus (7th century BC), Arimaspea. In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th The Arimaspi were a legendary people of northern Scythia who lived in the foothills of the Riphean Mountains, variously identified with the Ural Mountains In Classical Antiquity, Scythia ( Greek Skuthia) was the area in Eurasia inhabited by the Scythians, from the 8th In Greek Mythology, the Anemoi (in Greek, Άνεμοι &mdash " winds " were Wind gods who were each ascribed Aristeas was a semi- Legendary Greek Poet and miracle-worker, a native of Proconnesus in Asia Minor, active ca Bedingfeld and Gwynn-Jones infer that Aristeas's griffin was, "the bearded vulture or lammergeyer, a huge bird with a wingspan of nearly three metres (ten feet), which nests in inaccessible cliffs in the Asiatic mountains. The Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus ("Bearded Vulture-Eagle" is an Old World vulture, the only member of the genus . . . The gold of the region is real enough and is still mined today. " They also suggest that Aristeas conflated the Scythian griffin with a similar creature - a composite of lion and eagle or lion and griffon vulture - already known to Greek culture. The Griffon Vulture, or Eurasian Griffon Vulture, ( Gyps fulvus) is an Old World vulture in the Bird of prey family Accipitridae ^[8]

In any case, Aristeas's tales were eagerly reported by Herodotus (484 BC–c. Herodotus of Halicarnassus ( Greek: Hēródotos Halikarnāsseús) was a Greek Historian who lived in the 5th century BC ( 484 BC&ndash 425 BC) and in Pliny the Elder's Natural History (77 AD), among others. Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Naturalis Historia ( Latin for "Natural History" is an Encyclopedia written Circa AD 77 by Pliny the Elder. Aeschylus (525–456 BC), in Prometheus Bound (804), has Prometheus warn Io: "Beware of the sharp-beaked hounds of Zeus that do not bark, the gryphons. Aeschylus (ˈɛskɨləs or /ˈiːskɨləs/ Greek: Ασχύλος, Aischylos, 525 BC/524 BC 456 BC/455 BC was an ancient Greek Playwright In Greek mythology, Prometheus (Προμηθεύς "forethought" is a Titan known for his wily intelligence who stole Fire from Zeus In Greek mythology, Io (ˈaɪoʊ or /ˈiːoʊ/ World Book «EYE oh», in Ancient Greek Ἰώ) was a priestess of Hera in Argos Zeus (zjuːs in Greek: nominative: Zeús /zdeús/ genitive: Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/ in Greek mythology . . "^[9] In his Description of Greece (1. 24. 6), Pausanias (2nd century AD) says, "griffins are beasts like lions, but with the beak and wings of an eagle. Pausanias ( Greek:) was a Greek traveller and Geographer of the 2nd century CE, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus "^[9] The griffin was said to build a nest, like an eagle: instead of eggs, it lays sapphires, and thus griffins are supposed to be female. A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs and/or provide a place to raise their offspring Sapphire (antique greek hyacinthos refers to gem varieties of the mineral Corundum, an Aluminium oxide (Al2O3 when it is a color other than The animal was supposed to watch over gold mines and hidden treasures, and to be the enemy of the horse. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Mining is the extraction of valuable Minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually (but not always from an Ore body The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The incredibly rare offspring of griffin and horse was called a hippogriff. A Hippogriff (also spelled Hippogryph and Hippogryphe) is a Legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a Griffin and a mare.

Stephen Friar notes that the griffin was regarded as an animal of the sun and pulled Apollo's chariot across the sky; but it pulled Nemesis's chariot too. The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. Nemesis (in Greek,) also called Rhamnousia/Rhamnusia ("the Goddess of Rhamnous " at her sanctuary at ^[2]

Arimaspe on horseback fighting a griffin. Attic red-figure pelike in the Kerch style, c. 375–350 BC, from Italy(?)

Facing griffins guard a chalice, on a 12th century capital from the abbey of Mozac in the Auvergne

Medieval lore

A 9th-century Irish writer by the name of Stephen Scotus asserted that griffins were strictly monogamous. Mozac Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery in the commune of Mozac near Riom in Auvergne, France. Auvergne ( Occitan: Auvèrnhe / Auvèrnha) is one of the 26 administrative regions of France. Monogamy is the custom or condition of having only one mate in a Relationship, thus forming a Couple. Not only did they mate for life, but if one partner died, the other would continue throughout the rest of its life alone, never to search for a new mate. The griffin was thus made an emblem of the Church's views on remarriage. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS **************

Being a union of a terrestrial beast and an aerial bird, it was seen in Christianity to be a symbol of Jesus Christ, who was both human and divine. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) As such it can be found sculpted on churches. ^[2]

The egg-laying habits of the female were first clearly described by St. Hildegard of Bingen, a German nun author of the 12th century. Hildegard of Bingen (Hildegard von Bingen Hildegardis Bingensis 1098 – 17 September 1179) also known as Blessed Hildegard and Saint Hildegard She outlined how the expectant mother would search out a cave with a very narrow entrance but plenty of room inside, sheltered from the elements. Here she would lay her three eggs (about the size of ostrich eggs), and stand guard over them. The Ostrich ( Struthio camelus) is a large Flightless bird native to Africa (and formerly the Middle East)

According to Stephen Friar, a griffin's claw was believed to have medicinal properties and one of its feathers could restore sight to the blind. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Blindness is the condition of lacking Visual perception due to Physiological or Neurological factors ^[2] Goblets fashioned from griffin claws (actually antelope horns) and griffin eggs (actually ostrich eggs) were highly prized in medieval European courts. Antelope are Ruminant hoofed Mammals of the family Bovidae in the order of Even-toed ungulates. ^[8]

By the 12th century the appearance of the griffin was substantially fixed: "All its bodily members are like a lion's, but its wings and mask are like an eagle's. "^[10] It is not yet clear if its forelimbs are those of an eagle or of a lion. Although the description implies the latter, the accompanying illustration is ambiguous. It was left to the heralds to clarify that.

In heraldry

The griffin is often seen as a charge in heraldry. Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc ( January 27 1814 &ndash September 17, 1879) was a French Architect and theorist famous for his "restorations" In Heraldry and Vexillology, a charge is an image occupying the field on an escutcheon (or shield Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. According to the Tractatus de armis of John de Bado Aureo (late fourteenth century), "A griffin borne in arms signifies that the first to bear it was a strong pugnacious man in whom were found two distinct natures and qualities, those of the eagle and the lion. The identity of the heraldic writer Johannes de Bado Aureo is a matter of dispute " Since the lion and the eagle were both important charges in heraldry, it is perhaps surprising that their combination, the griffin, was also a frequent choice.

Bedingfeld and Gwynn-Jones suggest a far more bellicose reason for its choice as a charge: That because of the bitter antipathy between griffins and horses, a griffin borne on a shield would instill fear in the horses of his opponents. They also note the first appearance of the griffin in English heraldry, in a 1167 seal of Richard de Redvers, Earl of Essex. Earl of Essex is a title that has been held by several families and individuals of which the best-known and most closely associated with the title was Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of ^[8] (However, other writers quote later dates for its first appearance. ^[11][2])

The heraldic griffin establishes the contemporary depiction of the beast: Parker says, "The lower part of its body, with the tail and the hind-legs, belong to the lion; the head and the fore-part, with the legs and talons, to those of the eagle, but the head retains the ears of the lion. It has large wings, which also closely resemble those of the eagle. "^[12] (The variant with the forelimbs of a lion is distinguished as the opinicus, described below. )

Heraldic griffins are usually shown rearing up, facing dexter (to the right of the bearer of the shield)*, standing on one hind leg with the other hind leg and both forelegs raised (as shown in the image on the right and those in the gallery below). This posture is described in the Norman-French heraldic blazon as segreant, a term usually applied only to griffins (but sometimes also to dragons^[3]). In Heraldry and heraldic Vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of most often a Coat of arms or Flag, which enables a person to The generic term for this posture, used to describe lions and other beasts, is rampant.

A griffin's head is also seen as a charge in its own right, and it is distinguished from an eagle's head solely by its ears (see the Kartuzy and Filisur arms in the gallery below).

Medieval figure of a heraldic griffin	Arms of Słupsk, Poland	Arms of Białogard, Poland	Arms of Saint-Brieuc, France
Arms of Greifswald, Germany	Arms of Ueckermünde, Germany	Arms of Hither Pomerania, Germany	Arms of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Arms of Rostock, Germany	Arms of West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland	Arms of Mecklenburg-Schwerin	Arms of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Arms of Södermanland, Sweden	Arms of the former municipality of Donath, Switzerland	Arms of Montepulciano, Italy	Arms of Perugia, Italy
Arms of Deruta, Italy	Arms of Volterra, Italy	Arms of Troms, Norway	Colour of Utti Jaeger Regiment, Finnish Army

Griffin head as a charge

Arms of Kartuzy, Poland

Arms of Szczecin, Poland

Arms of Filisur, Switzerland

Griffin as a supporter

Arms of Baden-Württemberg, Germany	Arms of Stralsund, Germany	Arms of Genoa, Italy	Arms of Latvia
Arms of Austria-Hungary(1915-18)

A heraldic griffin was included as one of the ten Queen's Beasts sculpted for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 (following the model of the King’s Beasts at Hampton Court) and this is now on display at Kew Gardens. Słupsk (Stolp in Pommern known also under other names) is a city in Pomeranian Voivodeship, in the northern part of Poland. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Belgard redirects here Belgard is also an area of Tallaght and the original legal name of County South Dublin Białogard (Belgard Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Saint-Brieuc ( Breton: Sant-Brieg, Gallo: Saent-Berioec) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor Department in This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Greifswald (ˈɡʁaɪ̯fsvalt from German: popular etymology Greif, "griffin" proper etymology akin to "grip a plot not yet cleared and taken Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Ueckermünde (ʏkɐˈmʏndə Wkryujście is a municipality in the district of Uecker-Randow in eastern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, near Germany 's border with Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Western Pomerania is a translation of "Vorpommern" (also "Hither Pomerania" both redirect here Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, sometimes translated as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, is a state in Northern Germany comprising Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Rostock (ˈʁɔstɔk from Polabian Roz toc, literally "to flow apart" is the largest City in the north German state Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. West Pomeranian Voivodeship (also known by its Polish name of województwo zachodniopomorskie or simply Zachodniopomorskie) is a voivodeship Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a Duchy (from 1815 a Grand duchy) in northern Germany, formed by a partition of the Duchy of Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a Duchy and later Grand duchy in northern Germany, roughly consisting of the present day district of Mecklenburg-Strelitz sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Donat is a municipality in the district of Hinterrhein in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Montepulciano, a town and commune in the Province of Siena in southern Tuscany, ( Italy) is a medieval and renaissance hill town of exceptional beauty Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Perugia is the capital City of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber river and the capital of the Province of Perugia Deruta is a Hill town and Comune in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region of Italy. Volterra is a town in the Tuscany region of Italy. History The town was a Neolithic settlement and an important Etruscan center with an or Romsa ( Sami language) is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Utti Jaeger Regiment (Utin Jääkärirykmentti is the Finnish Army training and development centre for Special forces and Helicopter operations The Finnish Army ( Finnish: Maavoimat, Swedish: Armén) is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces Kartuzy ( Kashubian / Pomeranian: Kartuzë; Karthaus is a town in the Kashubia region in Eastern Pomerania region in northwestern Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Filisur is a municipality in the district of Albula in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The coat of arms of the German state of Baden-Württemberg features a greater and a lesser version Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Stralsund (ˈʃtʁaːlzʊnt is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, situated at the southern Coast of the Strelasund (a sound Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English The Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was especially created The Queen's Beasts are heraldic symbols depicting animals traditionally associated with British royal family For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, usually referred to simply as Kew Gardens, are extensive Gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and

Male griffin, alce or keythong

Parker says, of the griffin, "It may be represented as without wings, and then with rays or spikes of gold proceeding from several parts of its body. Sometimes it has two long straight horns. The term Alce is given, as if used by writers for a kind of griffin, but no example can be quoted. " ^[12]

But the term alce is rare in modern heraldry reference books; this wingless, spiked variant is almost invariably called the male griffin - although this must be a very unusual case of dimorphism because, as Stephen Friar puts it, "both creatures possess the usual male attributes". ^[2]

The male griffin itself is quite rare. It occurs as the dexter supporter (to the right of the bearer of the shield/ to the left of the viewer) in the arms of St. Leger entered at the visitation of Devon and Cornwall 1531 (College of Arms G 2, folio 24v) and as the supporter of the banner of a mid-16th-century Knight of the Garter in College of Arms Vincent 152 (pp 107-8). Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients ^[11] In the late 19th century, Sir Henry William Dashwood was granted supporters: two male griffins Argent [white] gorged with a collar flory counter flory. The fleur-de-lys (or fleur-de-lis, plural fleurs-de-lis ˌfləː(rdəˈliː (ˌfləː(rdəˈlɪs in Quebec) translated from French as "lily ^[13] One was also recently granted as a crest in the arms of the City of Melfort, Saskatchewan (image). Melfort ( 2006 population 5192 is a small Canadian city in Saskatchewan, approximately 95 km (60 mi southeast of Prince Albert. ^[14]

The term keythong is rarer still. The definitive instance comes from James Planché, who notes, under the badge of the Earl of Ormonde (first creation) as recorded in a College of Arms manuscript from the reign of Edward IV, the single contemporary reference: "A pair of keythongs. James Robinson Planché (27 February 1796–30 May 1880 was a British Dramatist Antiquary and Officer of arms. The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating Heraldry and granting new Armorial bearings for England, Wales Edward IV ( 28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October " Planche's footnote: "The word is certainly so written, and I have never seen it elsewhere. The figure resembles the Male Griffin, which has no wings, but rays or spikes of gold proceeding from several parts of his body, and sometimes with two long straight horns. ­­Vade [see] Parker's Glossary, under Griffin. " ^[15]

At the end of the 20th century the term keythong began to be taken up enthusiastically among adherents of heraldry - at least, among members of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Society for Creative Anachronism (usually shortened to SCA) is a historical re-creation and Living history group founded in 1966 which

Opinicus

The opinicus is a heraldic beast that differs from the griffin principally in that all four of its legs are those of a lion. ^[2] It is typically shown with the short tail of a camel and sometimes with a longer neck like a camel's (but still feathered). Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the An heraldic opinicus is shown as a male creature, whereas the winged griffin is female.

However, Parker says, "[it] is allied more nearly to the dragon in the forepart and in the wings; but it has a beaked head and ears, something between the dragon and the griffin. The hind part and the four legs are probably intended to represent those of a lion, but the tail is short, and is said to be that of the camel. "^[12]

It was granted as a crest in 1561 to City of London's Company of Barber Surgeons (now the Worshipful Company of Barbers)^[2][16], but is otherwise rare in British heraldry. For London as a whole see the main article London. The City of London is a geographically A modern example can be found in the arms of Jonathan Munday: Azure an opinicus rampant Or armed Gules. ^[17] (Note that it is described as rampant rather than segreant. )

Other oddities

Arms of Östergötland, Sweden

Arms of the Duchy of Pomerania

• The "griffin" in the arms of Östergötland has dragon's wings. Östergötland is a one of the traditional Provinces of Sweden ( landskap in Swedish) in the south of Sweden. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. A duchy is a territory fief, or domain ruled by a Duke or Duchess. Östergötland is a one of the traditional Provinces of Sweden ( landskap in Swedish) in the south of Sweden. The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide This is essentially a composite of two older arms, one charged with a lion, the other a dragon.
• The arms of the Duchy of Pomerania features several typical griffins. For all other principalities and duchies in Pomerania and lists of dukes see Pomeranian duchies and dukes The Duchy of Pomerania was a However, the white "griffin" in the gules (red) sinister fess (middle right) piece has a fish's tail - only its lion's ears confirm that it's a fish-tailed griffin rather than a fish-tailed eagle. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two

Similar heraldic beasts

The following heraldic beasts are not griffins, but might be mistaken for them.

Dragon supporters of the arms of the City of London

A winged lion in the arms of Lostallo, Switzerland

A winged lion in the arms of the Province of Grosseto, Italy

• The cockatrice, the king of the serpents, has a rooster's head, only two legs (rather like an eagle's or dragon's), dragon's wings, and a serpent's tail. The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide For London as a whole see the main article London. The City of London is a geographically The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. Lostallo is a municipality in the district of Moesa in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Grosseto ( Italian: Provincia di Grosseto) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. A cockatrice is a Legendary creature, resembling a large rooster with a lizard-like tail "an ornament in the drama and poetry of the Elizabethans quot Laurence A rooster (also called a cock or chanticleer) is a male Chicken ( Gallus gallus) the female being called a Hen. ^[2]
• The dragon supporters of the arms of City of London, including the single statues holding the arms that stand in each road leading into the City of London to mark its boundaries, are frequently misidentified as griffins. For London as a whole see the main article London. The City of London is a geographically A heraldic dragon has a scaly body, membranous wings, no feathers and no eagle's beak.
• A winged lion is the symbol of Saint Mark the Evangelist. "Saint Mark" redirects here For other uses see Saint Mark (disambiguation.

In architecture

In architectural decoration the griffin is usually represented as a four-footed beast with wings and the head of a leopard or tiger with horns, or with the head and beak of an eagle. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation The leopard (lɛpɚd Panthera pardus) is an Old World Mammal of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four roaring The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus A horn is a pointed projection of the Skin on the head of various Mammals consisting of a covering of horn ( Keratin and other Proteins

The griffin is the symbol of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and you can see bronze castings of them perched on each corner of the museum's roof, protecting its collection. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia 's Fairmount Park, was established in 1876 Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the ^[18][19]

In literature

For fictional characters named Griffin, see Griffin (surname)

• John Milton, in Book II of Paradise Lost, refers to the legend of the griffin in describing Satan:

“

As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale, Pursues the ARIMASPIAN, who by stelth Had from his wakeful custody purloind The guarded Gold [. Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891 John Milton ( 9 December, 1608 – 8 November, 1674) was an English Poet, Prose Polemicist and Paradise Lost is an Epic poem in Blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally The Arimaspi were a legendary people of northern Scythia who lived in the foothills of the Riphean Mountains, variously identified with the Ural Mountains . . ]

”

• Griffins are used widely in Persian poetry. Persian literature ( spans two and a half millennia though much of the pre- Islamic material has been lost Rumi is one such poet who writes in reference to griffins (for example, in The Essential Rumi, translated from Persian by Coleman Barks, p 257). Coleman Barks (born 1937 is an American Poet. Although he neither speaks nor reads Persian, he is nonetheless renowned as a Translator of
• In Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy, a griffin pulls the chariot which brings Beatrice to Dante in Canto XXIX of the Purgatory. The Divine Comedy The Divine Comedy
• In Voltaire's La Princesse de Babylone (The Princess of Babylon; 1768), two griffins transport princess Formosante. François-Marie Arouet ( 21 November 1694 30 May 1778) better known by the Pen name Voltaire, was a French
• Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), the Queen of Hearts orders the Gryphon to take Alice to see the Mock Turtle and hear its story. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (ˈdɒdsən (27 January 1832 &ndash 14 January 1898 better known by the Pen name Lewis Carroll (/ˈkærəl/ was an English Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865 is a novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known under the Pseudonym Lewis The Mock Turtle is a Fictional character devised by Lewis Carroll from his popular book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

• In L. Frank Baum's The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) the evil witch Old Mombi transforms herself into a griffin to escape from the good witch Glenda. The Marvelous Land of Oz, commonly shortened to The Land of Oz, published on July 5 1904, is the second of L
• Although no Gryphons are referenced in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, the movie, "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" portrays a griffin,

Gryphon

• In T. H. White's The Once and Future King (1958), young Arthur and his stepbrother Kay battle a fierce griffin with aid from Robin Wood A. Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 Terence Hanbury White ( 29 May 1906 &ndash 17 January 1964) was an English Author best known for his sequence of Arthurian The Once and Future King is an Arthurian Fantasy novel written by T King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders K. A. Robin Hood soon after freeing captives of Morgan le Fay. Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgane, Morgain, Morgana and other variants is a powerful sorceress and Antagonist of
• In Geoff Ryman's The Warrior Who Carried Life (1980), a huge, white griffin know as "The Beast Who Talks to God" is one of the major characters. Geoffrey Charles Ryman (born 1951 is a writer of Science fiction, Fantasy and surrealistic or " slipstream " fiction
• In the Dragonlance series (1984 onwards), griffins are under the command of Elves. Dragonlance is an immense series of Fantasy Novels, with over 190 novels printed and is accompanied by a supplemental Campaign The list of Dragonlance creatures attempts to list the races that can be found in the Dragonlance setting
• In Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic book series (1988-1996), a griffin is one of three guardians of Morpheus's palace in The Dreaming. Neil Richard Gaiman (ˈgeɪmən (born November 10, 1960) is an English author of Science fiction and Fantasy short stories and The Sandman is a Comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo Dream is the fictional Protagonist of DC Comics ' Vertigo Comic book series The Sandman, written by Neil
• In Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon's The Mage Wars Trilogy - The Black Gryphon (1994), The White Gryphon (1995) and The Silver Gryphon (1996) - gryphons known as Skandranon, and, later, his son Tadrith are among the lead characters. Mercedes Lackey (born June 24, 1950) New York New York (also known as Misty Lackey) is a prolific American author of fantasy novels In this series gryphons have human level intelligence and can use magic.
• Griffins are among the magical creatures in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series (1997-2007). Magical creatures comprise a colourful and integral aspect of the Wizarding world in the Harry Potter series by J Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J Harry Potter's house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is called Gryffindor after its founder Godric Gryffindor. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a setting in J K Fans have speculated that "Gryffindor" may come from the French gryffon d'or (golden griffin), but, oddly, its emblem is not a griffin, but a lion - which represents the supposed courageous nature of a true Gryffindor. In the movie versions, the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office is depicted as a half-phoenix, half-lion griffin and the door-knocker is a griffin. The phoenix ( Ancient Greek: Φοῖνιξ phoínix is a mythical sacred firebird in ancient mythologies starting with the Greek and later the

• In Tamora Pierce's Squire, part of the Protector of the Small quaret, the main character Kel stumbles upon a baby griffin kidnapped from his parents and is forced to care for him until they can be found. Tamora Pierce ( December 13, 1954) is an author of Fantasy literature for young adults The Protector of the Small quartet is a series of books written by Tamora Pierce that tells the story of Keladry of Mindelan, a heroine in the fantasy land
• In Patricia McKillip's Song for the Basilisk (1998), a griffin is one of the book's main characters and appears as a symbol of the ruling house. Patricia Anne McKillip ( February 29, 1948 &mdash is an American Author of Fantasy and Science fiction Novels
• In Bruce Coville's Song of the Wanderer (1999), the second book of The Unicorn Chronicles series, a gryphon named Medafil is a character. Bruce Coville (b May 16, 1950) is an American author of children's stories Song of the Wanderer is a children's Fantasy novel that is part of the The Unicorn Chronicles series by Bruce Coville. The Unicorn Chronicles consists of three printed and one working young adult fantasy novels (as of 2007 created by Bruce Coville The first book Into the Land
• In Wilanne Schneider Belden's Frankie! (1987), a human baby turns into a griffin.
• In Collinsfort Village by Joe Ekaitis (2005), a gentlemanly griffin resides on a mountain overlooking an imaginary Colorado suburb.
• In Bill Peet's The Pinkish Purplish Bluish Egg (1984) a dove finds an odd egg, and raises the griffin that hatches from it. Bill Peet ( January 29, 1915 &ndash May 11, 2002) was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney The griffin has the head of a bald eagle rather than the more usual golden eagle.
• In Katherine Robert's "The Amazon Temple Quest" a gryphon is connected with the Amazons and it is the one to give them power and to give them the ability to reproduce without men.

(unknown dates)

• In Nick O'Donohoe's Crossroads series (including The Magic and the Healing, Under the Healing Sign, and Healing of Crossroads) about veterinary students called upon to help mythological creatures, griffins play a significant role.
• In James C. Christianson's Voyage of the Basset, a griffon saves Casandra from the trolls.

• In The Spiderwick Chronicles, Simon Grace, Jared Grace's twin brother, befriends a wounded Griffin and names it Byron.

In natural history

Some large species of Old World vultures are called gryphons, including the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), as are some breeds of dog (griffons). Old World vultures belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes Eagles Buzzards kites and Hawks Old World vultures The Griffon Vulture, or Eurasian Griffon Vulture, ( Gyps fulvus) is an Old World vulture in the Bird of prey family Accipitridae Dogs have been selectively bred for thousands of years sometimes by inbreeding dogs from the same ancestral lines sometimes by mixing dogs from very different lines The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order

The scientific species name for the Andean Condor is Vultur gryphus; Latin for "griffin-vulture". Condor is the name for two Species of New World vultures each in a Monotypic Genus.

The name of an oviraptoran dinosaur Hagryphus giganteus is Latin for "gigantic Ha's Griffin". Oviraptor is a Genus of small Mongolian theropod Dinosaur, first discovered by legendary Paleontologist Roy Chapman Hagryphus (" Ha 's Griffin " from Egyptian Ha, name of a god of the western desert and Greek gryphus meaning 'griffin' In Egyptian mythology, Ha was a god of the Deserts to the west of Egypt.

As a first name and surname

In the mid-1990s, "Griffin" steadily became more popular as a baby name for boys in the U. S. In 1990, it was ranked 629th. In 2006, it was ranked 254th. Also rising in popularity is the various other spellings of the name such as Griffen or Gryphon.

Main article: Griffin (surname)

"Griffin" occurs as a surname in English-speaking countries. Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891 A surname is a name added to a Given name and is part of a Personal name. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States It has its origins as an anglicised form of the Irish "Ó Gríobhtha", "O' Griffin", and "Ó Griffey". Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish.

Welsh people who were anglicised, changed the name to "Griffith" and similar names. This shift is reinforced where the family has taken canting arms charged with a griffin. Canting arms is a technique used in European Heraldry whereby the name of the individual or community represented in a Coat of arms is "translated" into

"Griffin" (and variants in other languages) may also have been adopted as a surname by other families who used arms charged with a griffin or a griffin's head (just as the House of Plantagenet took its name from the badge of a sprig of broom or planta genista). The House of Plantagenet (planˈtadʒɪnɪt also called the House of Anjou, or the First Angevin dynasty, was originally a noble Brooms are a group of Evergreen, semi-evergreen and Deciduous Shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the Legume family Fabaceae This is ostensibly the origin of the Swedish surname "Grip" (see main article). Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891

Persian firstname

The creature griffin is known as Homa in Persian. The name Homa is a well-known firstname for girls in Iran and is also featured as a story in Iranian textbooks for third graders in the story about Homa who has lost one of her milkteeth.

Notes and references

See also

• Gallery of flags with animals#Griffin
• Griffin (surname)
• Griffon (Dungeons & Dragons)
• Hippogriff
• Sphinx
• Simurgh
• Homa
• JAS 39 Gripen, a fighter aircraft built by Saab
• SAAB Automobile Badge/Logo built by SAAB/General Motors Saab Automobile

External links

• The Gryphon Pages, a repository of griffin lore and information
• Gryphon's Guild, a community site for gryphon fans
• Volkan Yuksel's Griffin relief 3D Cross-Eyed stereoview

SpecialShortpages.--> Griffin was the 75th most common surname on the island of Ireland in 1891 In the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying game, the griffon is a powerful majestic and highly intelligent magical beast. A Hippogriff (also spelled Hippogryph and Hippogryphe) is a Legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a Griffin and a mare. A Sphinx is a Zoomorphic mythological figure which is depicted as a recumbent lion with a human head Simurgh or Simorgh (سیمرغ sometimes spelled Simurg or Simoorg, also known as Angha (عنقا is the modern Persian name for WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A fighter aircraft is a Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other Aircraft, as opposed to a Bomber, which is designed Saab AB is an Aerospace and defense company based in Sweden. History "Svenska Aeroplan AB (aktiebolaget" ( Swedish for Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab, is a Swedish car manufacturer and currently a wholly-owned Subsidiary of General Motors.

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