![]() By their association with Apollo they became associated with the sun, and through their service to Nemesis became known as protectors and guardians, carrying out retribution for injustice on offenders. In early Greek art they were shown pulling the chariots of the gods Apollo and Nemesis, and were said to be the hounds of Zeus. Griffins in Mythologyĭepictions of griffins are found in the art and mythology of many diverse ancient cultures, including Iranian, Anatolian, Egyptian, European, and Indian. The Palace of Knossos was the ancient ceremonial and political centre of the Bronze Age Minoan civilisation on Crete, described as the earliest in Europe, indicating the age and importance of the griffin motif. ’ They were often depicted as having wings, but sometimes found wingless, as in the fine example found in the Palace of Knossos and shown here. Griffins were also known by a number of other names including ‘ griffon,’ ‘griffon,’ or ‘g ryphon. ![]() The griffin, as a hybrid of these two, inherited the qualities of both, making it very powerful and the king, or ruler, of all creatures. The lion was considered to be the king of the beasts, while an eagle was the king of the birds. The eagle part was sometimes covered in feathers while the lion part had fur. It is usually shown with eagle wings, but sometimes is wingless and sometimes has eagle talons on its forefeet. It is usually depicted as having the back legs, tail and body of a lion, with the head of an eagle, sometimes having projecting ears. Touching upon medieval heraldry, griffins were synonymous with the power and might of the Christian god.A griffin is a legendary beast believed to be the offspring of a lion and an eagle, depicted in various ways by many different human cultures in different places throughout antiquity. ![]() Pliny the Elder specifically claimed that griffin nests were festooned with golden nuggets that the creatures had dug up from out of the earth with their talons. This connection to rulership also links back to earlier connections to gold and treasure Classical texts from Greek and Rome claimed that griffins watched over gold deposits in Central Asia. ![]() Furthermore, the feathers of such a creature were purported to be capable of curing the blind.ĭue to contemporary perceptions that regarded the lion and eagle as being the kings of the land and sky, respectively, the Middle Age interpretation of this beast is that it was truly majestic. It was also believed that these healing qualities allowed a person to detect the presence of poison by changing color when pressed against or immersed within something believed to be poisoned. In addition to the obvious qualities as natural weapons, it was believed that the claws of a griffin could be used as a catalyst for healing and a charm against illness. For comparison, the bite force of an average adult human is around 160 PSI. While the ancient stories do not specify where the breakdown between bird parts and beast parts breaks up in regard to ability, the power behind an eagle’s bite is 400 pounds per square inch (PSI) and the grip strength of its talons ranges between 300 and 791 pounds PSI, depending on the particular species. Tales of griffins claim that they have the physical strength of lions.
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