Myths and Legends * Gryphon. Griffin is a mythical creature? Griffin Nemesis

The history of all countries and religions totals hundreds of thousands of mythical creatures. Are they real? The answer to this question is hidden in the chronicles and ancient manuscripts.

But, nevertheless, historical information about the creature called the Griffin has reached our times. Who is it? Did it really exist?

What the griffin looked like

Griffin is a mythical creature with an unusual appearance. He had the head, claws and wings of an eagle, and the body of a lion.

Being a bird, he easily rose into the air himself, and could lift a heavy load in his claws. Like a lion, the griffin had 4 legs, ending with large sharp claws.

The griffin also had a specific color: the back half of the body was black and the front half red, the wings white. However, the head, nose and mouth glowed with a fiery color. The griffin lives in places of the wild and desert.

The nests of griffins were made of pure gold, and were located high in the mountains, on impregnable peaks. Vigilantly guarding him, griffins attacked people if they were approaching him.

The fear of other animals is unknown to the griffin: on the contrary, he will boldly attack any beast except a lion and an elephant.

Griffin is a symbolic animal. He acts as the head of two spheres: earth - lion and air - bird eagle.

Combining the 2 most powerful animals of the Sun, it has a favorable character: the griffin carries strength, vigilance, and retribution.

Some researchers believe that the griffin was called the South American condor - a very real bird that has nothing to do with myths.

Origin

There are 3 versions telling about where the griffin first appeared.

1. Ancient Eastern, namely Indian origin. The griffin was called upon to guard the country's gold. Flavius \u200b\u200bPhilostratus was sure that the mythical animals really lived in India and were considered dedicated to the Sun, as the artists depicted a solar chariot drawn by four lions with an eagle head.
2. Sumero-Akkadian mythology   (Lugalbanda). It spoke of a huge bird Anzud, according to descriptions similar to a griffin. Anzud was a mediator between heaven and earth, people and gods, therefore it was not considered to be good or evil, but was considered the beginning of both.
3. Ancient Greece. It is believed that the griffin was very popular among the ancient Greeks. The East was probably the birthplace, as images were found in the ruined Perseiola and in the frescoes of Crete.

Anzud Bird in Sumerian Mythology

Symbolism of different countries

The role of the guard is attributed to the griffin in the myths of different countries. As if he was guarding the path to salvation, sitting next to the Tree of Life. Not only treasures are protected by the griffin, but also hidden secrets and knowledge.

Also, mythical animals were the winners of the snake and, who are the embodiment of demons. Some studies have even associated Christ's ascension with griffins.

According to some sources, Dante could symbolize the Pope ascending to the throne. Due to its dual nature, it was considered a symbol of the merger of the papal spiritual and secular power.

At the same time, the creature becomes a favorite heraldic image.

An extensive study examining the flag of Tartar Caesar and the image of the griffin was carried out by a group of scientists.

In the Book of Flags, published in 1705, the Dutch cartographer Karl Allard describes the flag as follows:

The flag of Caesar from Tartaria, yellow, with a black drachka lying and looking outward (the great serpent) with a basilisk tail.

Some of the drawings that hold the flag image do show a creature that looks like a dragon. But other sources contain sketches on which the beak is clearly visible, which goes against the notions of dragons.

The collection of flags, published in the USA in 1865, contains a drawing that shows that the Tatar flag depicts a creature with a bird's head. Does this mean that the griffin is placed on the flag?

Obviously, yes. There is some evidence for this. The coat of arms of Lesser Tartaria (Crimean Khanate) depicts three black griffins on a yellow or gold background.

It is this illustration that confirms that the griffin, or griffin in Russian books, is depicted on the flag of Tartaria.

Drawing of the imperial flag of Tartaria, made in the USA in the 19th century.

Excavations of the Scythian mounds brought many different objects with a griffin as an image. The finds date back to the 4th-6th centuries BC. Places of artifacts: Taman, Crimea, Kuban, Altai, Amu Darya, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, near Dnepropetrovsk.

• 17th century, Great Ustyug: the lids of the chests are decorated with images of griffins.
• 11th century, Novgorod: carved vultures on wooden columns.
• 11th century, Surgut: medallions with vulture drawings.
• Tobolsk and Ryazan: cups and bracelets.

The image of the griffin on the wall of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl

Surprisingly, griffins adorn the gates and walls of ancient temples.

• Vladimir, Dmitrievsky Cathedral of the 12th century.
• Yuryev-Polsky, St. George's Cathedral.
• Church of the Intercession on the Nerl.
• Suzdal, the gates of the temples.
• Georgia, Mtskheta. Bas-relief with a griffin in the church.

But not only in the temples found images of the mythical beast. In the 13-17 centuries this image was widely used by princes and kings.

• Helmet of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, 13th century.
• Royal ark, 15th century.
• Terem Palace of the Moscow Kremlin, 17th century.
• The great banner of Ivan the Terrible, 16th century.
• The best of the royal Saadaks.
• The double throne of Ivan and Peter Alekseevich.
• Power of the Russian Kingdom / Power of Monomakh.

Interesting fact. The ancient Russian name of the griffin is not only divas, but also legs, another, naked, feet.

Griffin on the coat of arms of Crimea

It turns out that in most of the territory of Russia, the image of the griffin was used from the 4th century BC. until the 17th century. And the continuous period of existence of this symbol is more than 2250 years!

The griffin symbol is still used in the heraldry of some European states: Mecklenburg, Latvia, Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland, etc.

Extensive research on the image of the griffin on the flag of Caesar of Tatar led to the following conclusions:

1. Griffin / vulture / mane / div / leg / foot is not a borrowed symbol. It could be unifying and sacred for the Slavic, Turkic and Ugric peoples.
2. It was widely used on coats of arms, objects and temples in the Russian Empire, until it was forgotten under Peter 1.
3. The griffin, as a symbol of paganism, was also used for religious purposes, but with the strengthening of the Christian and Islamic religions, it left the rituals.

Conclusion

It appears that the griffin is an absolutely mythical creature, but where then is such popularity in the use of its image?

Perhaps, once vultures - half-eagle-half-seams - really existed, protecting gold and symbolizing the ambivalent beginning?

It is possible, but this mystery will remain unsolved.

(eng.)russian   in her book “The First Fossil Hunters” (1993), suggested that the image of the griffin was inspired by ancient Greek historians with the stories of Altai Scythian gold-seekers who could observe in the sands of the Gobi desert the fossilized bones of protoceratops dinosaurs freed from the dunes by winds. The description of the griffin is quite applicable to these fossil skeletons: the size of the animal, the presence of a beak, the proximity to gold placers, the horn neck of the protoceratops can split from time to time, and its skeleton on the shoulders could create the illusion of ears and wings.

The image in the ancient world

For the first time, images of griffins are attested in the palace frescoes of Crete in the Late Minoan period. Also, images of griffins were found in ancient Egypt and ancient Persia, but they received the greatest distribution in the art of the ancient Greek world.

Image in Antiquity

One of the first to mention the Griffon poet of the VI century. BC e. Aristeas of Prokonnes, Aeschylus (Prometheus 803) and Herodotus (History IV 13).

Aristei

Aristei traveled deep into Central Asia in search of the Hyperboreans and their sanctuary, Apollo, who was revered in these parts as the lord of light and darkness. In his wanderings Aristei was met by a tribe of Immedonians who told him that there was a mountain range to the north of their lands - the abode of cold winds. The Greek traveler decided that it was the Caucasus Mountains, although modern scholars are more inclined to believe that it was rather the Urals or even Altai [ ] .

Herodotus

Herodotus writes that these are monsters with lion bodies and eagle wings and claws that live in the extreme north of Asia in Hyperborea and protect gold deposits from the one-eyed arimasp (the fabulous inhabitants of the north). Aeschylus calls the griffins “the bird-billed dogs of Zeus who do not bark.”

Griffins and Scythians

Griffins are also associated with some images of the Scythian “animal style”. The Greeks believed that the griffins were the guardians of the gold mines of the Scythians.

Griffin - this bird seems to be so big that it can easily lift any armed person into the air. She has four legs, like a lion, with large sharp curved claws. The back of the body is completely black, the front is red, the wings are white: the head, nose, and mouth are like those of an eagle, while the eyes are fiery. As they say, she arranges a nest on the tops of high mountains.

The nest is of pure gold, and this bird is very vigilant in protecting gold. Not at all afraid of other animals, boldly attacks them and defeats all but the lion and elephant. When he sees an approaching person, pounces on him, fearing for his cubs. She lives in wild, desolate places where there is a lot of gold, and because of this gold, two thousand people gather and come at night, when griffin   asleep. They collect gold quietly in the dark, because if the bird wakes up, it will kill everyone to one.
  In three to four years, people again come to try their luck in those places where the griffin bird lives. ”

Having given a detailed description of the griffin, Miskolchi argues that “there is no such bird anywhere in the world” and believes that ... But we will give the floor to Miskolchi himself. Every line is interesting here, since it is not only about the griffin: “It is impossible to establish who invented this bird. Most modern book-writers take all their descriptions from old books, not giving themselves the trouble to understand them and write not what they themselves know, but pass off as written by others. They write not so much for the glory of God as for their own glory, wanting to show that they also know how to write books. ”

What else can   say about griffin? It is known that this fabulous animal was popular with the ancient Greeks. It was probably born in the East - its images are found in the Perseiol destroyed by Alexander the Great. There are images of a griffin on frescoes in the main hall of the Knossos palace on the island of Crete. We can see the griffin today - on the arms. However, the greatest popularity of the griffin falls, perhaps, in the Middle Ages, when it was depicted on countless noble coats of arms. However, the griffin was a heraldic animal and Budapest - on the coat of arms of the city flaunted two griffins. But what is a griffin? Bird? Hard to say. He has wings, an eagle head and at the same time the legs of a lion. Sometimes on the coat of arms of the nobility he was depicted with a lion's head, and then only the wings of the griffin remained from the bird.

Meets griffin description   and in modern books on natural science, and this "griffin" is no longer a fabulous creature. But quite intriguing the reader. We are talking about the white-headed vulture (one of the types of vultures), which is sometimes called the griffin. Once, this rare bird in Europe now lived in Hungary. Today, white-headed vultures are quite widespread in North America and Asia. The wingspan of this bird reaches 2.6 meters.

Ancient authors called the griffin of a South American condor. Here is what Janos Feldi wrote about him: “This is the largest of all flying birds. Wingspan 15 feet (about 5 meters)
  Color is black and white. Nests on rocks in the mountains. It flies very fast. It feeds on animals and dead fish thrown by the sea
Often abducts calves, sheep, and pre-teens. ” When you read such literature, it seems that Condor's favorite food is ten-year-olds. And the readers took it at face value, as evidenced by the fact that almost all nature books and authoritative travel descriptions contained stories similar to the following: “I myself had a chance to see this when I traveled to Switzerland. Once, a chamois hunter and I went to the mountains. We climbed to the top.
  high cliffs and I stood, fascinated by the magical landscape, when suddenly a hunter grabbed me, showing his other hand somewhere in the distance.

Glancing in the direction in which the hunter was pointing, I stepped back in horror. There, on the side of the mountain, a shepherd slept. Next to him sank huge vulture   and already prepared with wings to push the child into the abyss, but at that moment the brave hunter fired and, fortunately, did not miss. A terrible bird fell dead.
  The boy fell to his knees and, raising his arms to heaven, thanked God for his salvation from certain death. What a touching sight it was! ” (A. B. Reichenbach).

In justification of the ancient authors, one could say that, as Humboldt claims, the condor sometimes attacks large mammals. If so, then the condor can be dangerous for the child. But this can hardly be believed, since the condor eats, first of all, carrion. Like all vultures.

Sirens and harpies

Miskolchi writes: “Speaking of the griffin, we should also mention sirens and harpies. They served the ancient poets to portray dissolute prostitute women and greedy, cruel thieves. "
  Well, now let's talk about harpy. In fact, she should have been spoken of in the plural, since the harpies are outraged not by themselves, but by whole gangs.

To begin with, harpies are not exactly birds: they have bird wings, and their heads are canine. “These are the winged dogs of Zeus, which play a special role. In those distant times, when the Argonauts sailed off the coast of Thrace, there lived an old clairvoyant named Finaeus. The gods deprived him of his sight because he revealed to people everything that Zeus wanted to keep secret. But blindness was not his only misfortune. As soon as poor Phineus sat down at the table, harpies appeared immediately. They came down from the sky and grabbed the best pieces from the table. They so smeared the remains of food with their stools that because of the terrible stench it was impossible to sit at the table. The unfortunate Sirloin would starve to death if the Argonauts had not saved him from the harpies. ”

The prototype for the harpies was probably the thieving baboons. True, they do not have wings, but they have a head like a dog’s, and they do not need to be taught theft. They make devastating raids on the gardens.
  Now turn to the sirens. Readers may be surprised that we are talking about sirens in the chapter on birds, as it is well known that sirens are aquatic animals. This is so, but in Greek mythology, sirens are birds. “They have wings and they fly in flocks around ships, captivating sailors with their singing.

They tried their spell on the Argonauts. However, later Odysseus managed to outwit them. Odysseus certainly wanted to hear the singing of sirens. But it was deadly, because those who listened to the sirens followed them, and the ship, as a rule, crashed onto rocks.
  Odyssey covered his ears with wax for his companions, he asked himself to be tied to the mast and told him not to untie it until the ship went far from those places where sirens lived. ”
  In Greek vases, sirens were depicted as winged creatures with the head of a woman. The origins of the legend are unknown. Perhaps the appearance of the legend was facilitated by the gulls or petrels accompanying the ships.

GRIFFON - a mythical beast that combines the qualities of the king of beasts and the king of birds.

NAME. One of the old Russian names for the griffin is NOG, so the Griffin has a named sister - the bird of Nog or

ABILITIES: From his cry, flowers wither and the grass dries, and if there is anyone alive, then all fall dead

FEATURES. The griffin can not stand, and at any opportunity is ready to tear them to shreds.

TALK: The griffin is able to search and secretly store gold, so it began to symbolize science and usury.

IN TALES: In Slavic mythology, all approaches to the Iry garden, and the apple-tree with golden apples are guarded by griffins,. Those who try these golden apples will receive eternal youth and power over the Universe. And the dragon Palm itself guards the apple tree with golden apples. Neither foot nor horse has a passage here.

Griffins in heraldry can be of different colors: gold, silver, black, red ... Multi-colored griffins on the arms of the city of Manturovo in the Kostroma region, Bagerovsky joint venture (Crimea) and the province of Södermandland in Sweden.

Griffin on the coat of arms of the Psebaysky GP of the Krasnodar Territory, on the emblem of Krasnaya Polyana (the city of Sochi) and on the coat of arms of the province of Scania in Sweden.

Griffins on the arms of the Republic of Crimea, the Republic of Altai, as well as Kan-Kereda, are a mythical bird, very much resembling a dragon on the coat of arms of the Ongudai region of Altai.

Griffin in heraldry.

photo Nata

AMULETS with griffin are quite common.

A griffin can be both a loyal guard and an aggressive treacherous attacker. The griffin was born a very long time ago. Not even all Gods know where it came from or when. Griffin is known throughout Midgard-earth. His images can be found on both sides of the ocean. All that is known about the Griffin is that it was first noticed in the north of Russia. Therefore, we can say that the Griffin is a Slavic, northern bird-beast. His images can be found on stone and on gold, on skin and on papyrus; on bones and parchment. And everywhere he appears before us in a calm and majestic form of a winner, well aware of his strength, beauty and superiority over the whole world around him. True, in some images it can be represented with a different tail: a snake or a bird, a dragon or a lion. But a lion's body, eagle wings and a head with a beak are present on all images of the griffin beast.

A griffin is a creature with the head, neck, front legs, wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. The griffin symbolized the strength of the lion, as well as the vigilance and wisdom of the eagle. At the same time, the mythical beast signified duality. According to legend, the griffin can find and store gold. Because of this, these creatures have become a symbol of science and usury.

Other interpretations of the essence of the griffin.

The griffin was a symbol of spiritual (poetic inspiration).

The griffin was also a symbol of revenge.

The most common griffin in heraldry was in England.

In Russia, the griffin is used in the coat of arms of the Republic of Altai, since it is believed that the white griffin (Kan-Kereda) is the guardian of peace of the native land. At the same time, the griffin is the patron saint of animals and birds. Also, the griffin is used as a central element on the coat of arms of the city of Sayansk.

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Griffin - a fantastic, mythical creature, half-eagle-semi-eagle , with a long snake tail. It symbolizes domination over two spheres of being: earth (lion) and air (eagle). The image of the griffin combined the symbolism of an eagle (speed) and a lion (strength, courage). The combination of the two most important solar animals indicates the general favorable character of the creature - the griffin represents the Sun, strength, vigilance, retribution. Griffins, in Greek mythology, monstrous animals with a curved eagle beak on the bird's head and the body of a lion.
Ancient Greek authors believed that the body of a griffin exceeded the size of eight lions combined, and that it is stronger than hundreds of eagles. The griffin was able to raise and carry into his nest a horse with a rider or a pair of oxen in one harness. In Greece, the griffin symbolized power, confident in its strength, but at the same time insightful and vigilant. The griffin figures as an animal, whose rider is Apollo. These monstrous swift birds were also harnessed to the chariot of the retribution goddess Nemesis, which symbolizes the speed of retribution for sins. Being the embodiment of Nemesis, they rotated the wheel of fate.

The first mention of griffins that has come down to us belongs to Herodotus (V century BC). He writes that these are monsters with lion bodies and eagle wings and claws that live in the extreme north of Asia in Hyperborea and protect gold deposits from the one-eyed arimasp (the fabulous inhabitants of the north). Aeschylus calls the griffins "the bird-billed dogs of Zeus who do not bark." The Greeks believed that the griffins were the guardians of the gold copies of the Scythians. Later authors add a lot of details to the description of griffins: these are the most powerful of animals (with the exception of lions and elephants), they build their nests from gold, and do not enter into conflicts with heroes and gods.
   In ancient Greek culture, images of griffins are found on the monuments of art of prehistoric Crete (XVII-XVI centuries BC), and then in Sparta (VIII-VII centuries BC).

Griffin - winged monsters with a lion's body and the head of an eagle, guardians of gold. In particular, it is known that the treasures of the Riphean mountains are protected. From his cry, flowers wither and the grass dries, and if there is anyone alive, then all fall dead. (Greek) (glor.)

   The eyes of a griffin with a golden tint. The head in size resembled the head of a wolf with a huge awesome-looking beak a foot long. Wings with a strange second joint to make it easier to fold them.
   In Slavic mythology, all approaches to the Iry garden, Alatyr mountain and an apple tree with golden apples. t griffins, basilisks. Those who try these golden apples will receive eternal youth and power over the Universe. And the dragon Palm itself guards the apple tree with golden apples. Neither foot nor horse has a passage here.

At for about 400 years, humanist scientists , historians, folklorists, philologists, archaeologists, paleozoologists are trying to explain the origin of the image of griffins, it still remains in essential features mysterious and unclear. Over the centuries, many speculations and hypotheses have been put forward about the formation of this image: it was declared completely invented, deduced from birds, from extinct animal species, from tapirs, searched for its roots in Assyrian, Scythian, Egyptian cultures, and finally, in 1993, researcher E. Mayor said the problem was resolved: the image of the griffins came from observing the remains of proto-therapos in the Gobi Desert.
   Etymology of the word
   The word "griffin" comes from the Greek "Γρυψ", which, most likely, comes from the Greek Γρυπος - "curved" or "curved". However, given the eastern origin of this fictional creature, there are theories about the origin of the Greek word from the Assyrian "* k" rub "- a" fairy creature ", from which the Hebrew word" keˇrûb "(cherub), in turn, also originated. connected with the ancient Persian "giriften" - "grab"

In modern art history, the meaning of the token "griffin" is much broader than in literature. A griffin can be called not only a creature with a lion's body and wings and the head of an eagle, but also other combinations of these animals. There are "lion griffins", i.e. creatures with the body of a lion, wings, sometimes with forepaws like an eagle, but with the head of a lion, and "eagle griffins", i.e. classic griffins, with the body of a lion, wings and the head of an eagle. In the broadest sense, the word "griffins" can be used for almost all compounds of a four-animal with a bird that cannot be unambiguously identified. This is what you should bear in mind when reading that the first images of griffins are already found in the 3rd millennium BC. Of course, not all creatures combining the features of a bird and a four-legged one are considered to be “griffins”, and there are quite definite images clearly separated from griffins, like Imdugud - "the griffin is the opposite."

The most likely ancestral home of griffins, as most researchers admit, is Front Asia. The prototype of their image should be sought in the religious art of Babylonia and Assyria. The image of the griffins was influenced by the iconography of the so-called karubu (Akkad. "protector"), which were depicted in the form of bulls with a human head or winged lions. The mythology associated with these creatures is unknown, but they probably performed protective functions. This is also supported by one of the probable hypotheses about the origin of the word “griffin” from “* k“ rub. ”The replacement of a lion or a human head with an eagle has apparently already occurred in Assyria.“ Babylon knew a winged lion with long pointed ears, eagle legs and tail; Assyria sometimes replaced the lion’s head with the head of an eagle with a crest. "(178: p.305). Assyrian eagle-headed vultures are characterized by a short mane (often feather) and a bird’s image on the tip of the tail. Sometimes creatures whose bronze figurines were found are considered prototypes of griffins. complexes of the so-called Luristan bronzes of the 8th-6th centuries BC (sometimes this complex is identified with the Scythian or Cimmerian culture, sometimes with the Cassites), although they have a number of distinctive properties - they are often depicted with horns. dressing to the Persian griffins, which are also depicted with spiral horns, a lion's body and, often, with hind legs like a bird in the opposite l Assyrian. These Persian griffins, among which the “lion griffins” were more common, are widely represented in the preserved monuments of ancient Persia. G.A. Pugachenkova suggested that such creatures before the imposition of Mazdeism under Daria and Xerxes represented the devas - evil spirits whose sanctuaries were destroyed during the establishment of the Ahuramazda cult. The appearance of these creatures that have a protective function, for example, in the royal palace in Susa, means, on the one hand, a rethinking of this image, and on the other, the vitality of superstitions and representations of the people. Griffins are known in ancient Altai art, this image was common among the Scythians.

It should be said a little about the griffins in ancient Egypt. Indeed, the combination of a four-legged feline and a bird takes place in Egyptian art. In the form of such creatures, pharaohs could be depicted trampling the paws of their enemies, however, they were mainly depicted with a human head. Griffin-like creatures, sometimes really very reminiscent of Greek images, appear in Egypt in the New Kingdom era, but their appearance is probably also due to the Near-Asian influence. One cannot help but recall the creatures whose role may have echoed with the Near Asian and karubu, and the appearance sometimes very much resembles griffins - these are sphinxes.

Images of griffins in Greek art were quite stable and possessed a number of characteristic features. Although they sometimes talk about images of griffins in Crete-Mycenaean art, for example, griffins on the frescoes of the Knossos palace, they have very little in common with the image of the griffin in Greek art, which appeared in the 7th century. BC. Typically, griffins were depicted in Greek art with a lion body, wings and an eagle's head, as well as, quite often, with an open mouth and a characteristic, curved upward tongue. They also had ears protruding upward (sometimes referred to as "eared griffin") and a bump, crest, or a kind of horn between the eyes and ears. Certain details of Greek griffins, protruding ears and crest, find analogies in ancient Altai art, although direct analogies are difficult due to significant differences in the image. In turn, such a detail as a crest is found in Central Asian and Persian images, but also has a number of differences - for example, a crest is often depicted as part of a mane, and in Greek griffins it looks more like a bone outgrowth. The earliest Greek images date from around the middle of the 7th century. BC. - This is an image of a griffin with a cub from Olympia in the Peloponnese, bronze heads of griffins from the island of Samos. Antiquity is characterized by a set of plots in which griffins appeared. Single images of griffins are most frequent, but the plot of the struggle of griffins with arimaspas, which is most characteristic of Greek-Scythian art, is quite common. Interestingly, the last plot appears around the VI century. BC. and unknown previously. In addition, griffins are periodically depicted harnessed to chariots, controlled by various deities, most often Apollo. There are several unique images of the griffin in ancient Greek art - first of all, it is a bronze relief depicting a griffin with a cub from Olympia (Peloponnese), dating from 630 BC. It is sometimes believed that he was in the temple of Zeus at Olympia, but the construction of this temple dates back to the 5th century. BC, so this image could only be transferred there. The image of two griffins on the so-called. Lycian sarcophagus.
In general, it should be noted that the image of the griffin in ancient Greek art was completely independent and had a set of unique properties, which makes it rather difficult to determine its origin. The classical image of a griffin - a creature with the body of a lion, wings and the head of an eagle - has undoubtedly finally developed in ancient Greek culture. It is the Greek language (with reservations) that the name "griffin" dates back to, in Greek culture a uniquely identifiable visual image of the griffin has developed, and, finally, the first descriptions of this creature appear in ancient Greek literature. All this allows you to uniquely identify this image and distinguish it from its predecessors or similar images. However, there is no doubt that the prototype of the griffin should be sought in the East - in the cultures of Assyria, Babylon and Ancient Egypt.

The widespread belief that the griffin was usually considered positive and symbolized Christ, or at least values \u200b\u200bpositive for the Christian, does not hold water. Most likely, we owe this stereotype not so much to the symbolism of the Middle Ages, but so much to Dante, to the authors of the 17th-18th centuries. and heraldry. To clarify some issues related to the symbolic meaning of griffins in Christian culture, we will have to turn to the most important book for every Christian - the Bible.

   Griffins are mentioned twice in the Vulgate, but they weren’t very much paid attention to it in the Middle Ages - at least they weren’t often mentioned when talking about griffins (among the cited passages, you can recall only Bartholomew of England), and it seems that this news did not affect much neither on actual knowledge, nor on the symbolic interpretation of griffins. Griffins are found in the Vulgate in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy in parallel places where it is a question of food prohibitions for Jews (Lev. 11.13, Deut. 14.12. - for the reader’s convenience all references to the Bible, if the text in this case does not diverge from the Latin version, are given in the Russian synodal translation), and they are mentioned among unclean birds, i.e. forbidden to eat. In fact, the Hebrew text apparently meant some kind of eagle or gyrfalcon.

As such, griffins are absent in the Bible, however, there are some clearly related images there. Of course, this is the image of a winged lion, well known in Christian symbolism, since often it was in this guise that one of the evangelists appeared, according to the most common interpretation - Mark. The episode in the New Testament, which made this interpretation possible, is found in the Revelation of John the Theologian (Rev. 4.6-8). Although there are cherubim here, since the image of four animals was certainly inspired by the vision of Ezekiel, namely the image of merkaba, the celestial chariot bearing the ark (Ezek.1), the image of a winged lion, could well affect the symbolism or moral interpretation of griffins. Quite interesting is the fact that the book of Ezekiel was written during the Babylonian captivity and absorbed the imagery of the Babylonian religious art, in which winged lions and other similar creatures were not uncommon. Another image of a winged lion in the Bible is interesting, this time in the book of Daniel (Dan.7.2-4):

Griffins are fictional winged creatures, half lions, half eagles. They have sharp claws and snow-white or golden wings.

   Etymology
   The word comes from lat. grȳphus and through it from Greek. γρύψ. According to one hypothesis, the Greek name goes back to other Heb. “Kerub” (see cherub). According to another hypothesis, it comes from the Greek γρυπός ("hook-nosed").

   Antique authors:
   For the first time they are mentioned by a poet of the VI century. BC e. Aristeas of Prokonnes, as well as Aeschylus (Prometheus 803) and Herodotus (History IV 13).
   Griffins are also associated with some images of the Scythian “animal style”.

Medieval symbolism
   It was believed that they came from India, where they guarded huge treasuries with gold.

These mystical creatures symbolize power over heaven and earth, strength, alertness and pride. The griffin also became an attribute of the retribution goddess Nemesis: she was often portrayed in a chariot drawn by griffins.

   Initially, in the image of a griffin, they depicted Satan, enticing human souls into a trap, later this animal became a symbol of the double (divine and human) nature of Jesus Christ. Thus, the griffin became also the enemy of snakes and basilisks.

Griffin in heraldry:

   Heraldic griffin
   Griffin on the coat of arms of the Altai Republic. Griffin is a frequently encountered non-heraldic figure on the arms. It symbolizes power, power, vigilance, speed and strength.
The male version of the griffin (English male gryphon) was depicted wingless and with bunches of scarlet spikes (denoting the sun's rays), sometimes even with horns or tusks.
   In heraldry there is an image of a sea griffin (English sea-griffin), denoting the connection of Armiguere with water. Such a griffin is wingless and has a fish tail instead of the lion's body part.
   Griffin lives on the distant islands of the Indian Ocean. He has the body of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle. The griffin has a special gift: to find treasures, and therefore its nest is usually lined with gold. Near the venom, the claws of the griffin change color, and when sulfur is burned, healing smoke is released from its ears along with mistletoe.
   The griffin is depicted on the coat of arms of the Romanov clan.

Griffin in modern culture
   In the cartoon "Magic Sword: In Search of Camelot," the Griffin, having cat's eyes and ears, works for the main antagonist.

   Griffin is a popular character in the fantasy genre.

   In a series of novels about Harry Potter, the name of the Gryffindor faculty translated from French means "golden griffin". Professor Dumbledore’s office also has a griffin-shaped brass knocker to knock on the door.
   Griffins were used to attack the castle in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
   Griffin - a popular unit in computer strategies: Warcraft; HOMM, starting from the first part; King's Bounty; Disciples - Melee units associated with the Elf race.
   Gryphon is an English rock band.
   In Ukraine, special forces e judicial police called "Griffin"

Griffin is a mythical creature with the head, claws and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. It symbolizes domination over two spheres of being: earth (lion) and air (eagle). The combination of the two most important solar animals indicates the general favorable character of the creature - the griffin represents the Sun, strength, vigilance, retribution.

   In myths and legends of different traditions, the griffin acts as a guard. He, like a dragon, protects the paths to salvation, being located next to the Tree of Life or any other similar symbol. He guards treasures or secret, secret knowledge.

   The image of the griffin is of ancient Eastern origin, where, together with other fantastic animals, it was supposed to protect the gold of India. According to Flavius \u200b\u200bPhilostratus (ІІІ century), "griffins really live in India and are revered dedicated to the Sun - therefore, Indian sculptors depict the chariot of the Sun drawn by a four of griffins."

In the ancient Egyptian tradition, the griffin combined in his image a lion, personifying the king and the falcon, who was a symbol of the sky god Horus. In the era of the Old Kingdom, the griffin was a symbol of the victorious ruler, who walks on the trembling bodies of his enemies. The griffin appears in the Middle Kingdom: its image, suspended in front of the wagon, leads the soldier to victory. In the late period, the griffin is considered a “powerful animal” and a symbol of justice being rendered; in the era of the Ptolemies and Rome, the gods of Horus and Ra were depicted in the form of a griffin.

In ancient Greek culture, images of griffins are found on the monuments of art of prehistoric Crete (XVII-XVI century. in. BC), and then in Sparta (VIII-VIIv .in. BC.). The first mention of griffins that has come down to us belongs to Herodotus (V c. BC). He writes that these are monsters with lion bodies and eagle wings and claws that live in the far north of Asia and protect gold deposits from the one-eyed arimasp (the fabulous inhabitants of the north). Aeschylus calls the griffins “the bird-billed dogs of Zeus who do not bark.” The Greeks believed that the griffins were the guardians of the gold copies of the Scythians. Later authors add a lot of details to the description of griffins: these are the strongest of animals (with the exception of lions and elephants), they build their nests from gold, and do not enter into conflicts with heroes and gods.

   A fantastic scene of the battle of the tigress and the griffin is depicted on the objects of Scythian art of the 7th century. BC e. One of the horse hats from the first Pazyryk barrow depicts a lion griffin fighting a tiger. On the gold jewelry of the “Sarmatian animal style” there is a scene of torment: an eagle griffin and another fantastic creature attack a cat predator - “panther”.

In medieval church art, the griffin becomes a very common character and, being an image of an ambivalent character, on the one hand, symbolizes the Savior, and on the other hand, those who suppressed and persecuted Christians, since it is a combination of a predatory eagle and a ferocious lion. Presented originally as a devil-abduct for souls, already with Dante, the griffin becomes a symbol of the dual nature of Christ - divine (bird) and human (animal) due to his dominion on earth and in heaven. The solar symbolism of both animals that make up the griffin strengthens this positive interpretation. Therefore, the griffin is considered the winner of the snake and the basilisk, embodying demons of the devilish sense. The very ascension to heaven of Jesus Christ is symbolically associated with griffins.

   In the Middle Ages, the griffin became a favorite heraldic beast, where it symbolizes the combined qualities of an eagle and a lion - vigilance and courage. Böckler (1688) deciphers the griffin as follows: “Griffins are depicted with the body of a lion, the head of an eagle, long ears and clawed eagle legs, which should mean a combination of mind and power.”

The word "griffin" (or "griffin", as the beast is sometimes called) comes from the Greek grops (Latin gryphos). It is likely that this word came from another Greek term - grupos, which means “curved”, “curve”. Some researchers have suggested that grupos were borrowed from eastern languages: perhaps from the Assyrian k’rub, that is, a “fantastic winged creature”, or the Jewish kerub, “winged angel”.

   Having first appeared in Ancient Assyria, the griffin soon became known from the Himalayas and China in the East to the coast of Ireland in the West. The oldest of the images of the griffin known today is found near the city of Shusha (on the territory of modern Iran). This beast was captured in a seal made around 3000 BC.

   Griffins have long been known in Egypt. During the Fifth Dynasty, the pharaoh himself was portrayed in the form of a griffin, toppling the enemy’s ground (this symbolized the power of the ruler). Egyptian influence can be traced to the Minoan culture, which endowed the griffin with the qualities of a magnificent warrior.

Long before the first written mention of the griffin appeared, it was depicted on items made of ivory, stone, bronze, silk (for example, on coins from Abdera, from the island of Telos). It could be found everywhere: from vases in palaces to mosaics in tombs (the most typical example is the relief in the palace of Tsar Kapar Gudzan, 870 BC)

On the territory of Greece, griffins are found on the monuments of art of prehistoric Crete (17-16 centuries BC), and then in Sparta (8-7 centuries BC). The Greeks associated them, first of all, with the gods: Dionysus, Nemesis and Apollo. The latter was often depicted riding a griffin or riding in a chariot drawn by griffins.

   In the Middle Ages, the griffin could often be seen on the arms, walls of cathedrals, on the pages of manuscripts. Today, this beast comes to life on the pages of books and film films.

The very appearance of the griffin and its character in different cultures seemed different. Most often, the back of his torso is lion, although there could be other options: a panther, a dog. The tail looked like a dragon or snake. The front of the body is birdlike, but sometimes ears could be seen on the head of the griffin (which, apparently, should have been evidence l about the excellent hearing of the animal). In some cases, the griffin's beak was decorated with small, but very sharp teeth. On the head of a griffin usually flaunted small horns or crest. A row of spikes or a lush mane decorated the neck

Due to significant differences in the appearance of each griffin, these creatures even tried to classify . Medieval German scientist H.Printz divided them into three types: griffin-bird, griffin-snake and griffin-lion. But other authors of that time disputed such a separation, because the last two copies were usually depicted with a body covered with scales, which means they were relatives of dragons. It was believed that only the griffin-bird can be attributed to the griffins themselves.
   The nature of the griffins was also different (depending on the particular culture and mythology). In general, the griffin was a proud, brave and freedom-loving beast, not recognizing anyone's dominance. All these qualities made him almost the best guardian, in which he acted in many legends and myths (for example, the Greeks considered the griffins to be the guardians of the gold of the Hyperboreans).

The first written mention of the griffin belongs to the ancient Greek author Aristei of Prokonnes, who lived in the 7th century BC. He described his journey into the depths of Central Asia, where the writer went in search of the fabulous people of the Hyperboreans and the sanctuary of Apollo (revered by them as the lord of light and darkness). In his wanderings Aristei met a tribe of Immedonians who informed him that there was a mountain range to the north of their possessions, where gold-bearing rivers flow, and the one-eyed people living there - the Arimaspi - steal treasures from fast and evil monsters guarding him. It is not known what the Immedonians themselves called these monsters, but Aristeus calls them griffins, because by that time some legends about these animals had already formed in Greece.

   Herodotus (5th century BC) in his “History” describes monsters with lion bodies and eagle wings and claws that live in the far north of Asia and protect gold deposits from the one-eyed arimasp.

Aeschylus calls the griffins "Zeus's bird-billed dogs that do not bark." Later researchers relied on these authors in the future, considering them eyewitnesses of what they wrote.

   True, the more time passed, the information about the griffins became more and more confusing and contradictory. Aristei himself would have been incredibly surprised if he had known that people of the Middle Ages believed in the existence of griffins, largely thanks to his writings. After all, Aristei never claimed to have seen the griffin with his own eyes. But be that as it may, this beast continued to appear in medieval bestiaries along with other, both real and fictional animals.

   Bestiaries usually divided animals into “good” and “evil”. Griffin was often attributed to the latter, although many authors endowed him with positive qualities. The griffin was supposed to be a symbol of knowledge, because he knew where to find gold.

   Also in the Middle Ages, it was believed that the griffin indirectly symbolizes the dual nature of Christ - divine (bird) and human (lion).

The famous Italian traveler Marco Polo (1254-1324), who made his grand trip through Central Asia to China in the 13th century, made an attempt to find real evidence of the existence of griffins. He tried to find them in Madagascar, hearing about the birds, "by the structure of their bodies resembling an eagle of enormous size." Polo really found them, but they had nothing to do with the griffin, because the traveler had a good idea of \u200b\u200bwhat a “real griffin” should look like.

From this country (Turkey) they travel to Bactria, where evil and treacherous people live, and in that region there are trees that give wool, as if they were sheep, and they make fabrics out of it. There are “ipotans” in this land (hippopotamus otams) who live on land or in water. They are half people, half horses and feed only on human beings when they manage to get it.

   There are still many vultures in that region, more than in other places; some say that they have an eagle in front of their bodies, and a lion’s backside, and this is true, they really are so arranged; however, the body of the neck is more than eight lions combined, and it is stronger than hundreds of eagles. A vulture, of course, can raise and carry into its nest a horse with a rider or a pair of oxen, when they are brought out in one harness in the field, since the claws on its legs are huge, with the body of an ox, cups for drinking are made from these claws, and from it ribs - bows.

   “Travel,” presumably John Mandeville

According to medieval notions of the world, the existence of various fabulous creatures was considered a fact not subject to discussion. Miraculous properties were attributed to various parts of their bodies. The griffin was no exception. According to legend, if you make a cup out of its claw, then it will immediately change color when it contains poison. Obtaining such a claw was, of course, not easy - it was awarded to a person as a reward if he cured the griffin from a severe ailment. True, history is silent about what happened to those who still could not cure this beast. In the Middle Ages, several such cups were known, although in reality they were all made from the horns of quite ordinary animals.

   It was claimed that the blind see through the eyes of a griffin with a feather. And in several early German books on medicine, it is mentioned that if the griffin rests her head on the chest of a woman suffering from infertility, she will be cured of her ailment.

In the 17th century, several voluminous works appeared in which the authors tried to figure out where the truth ends and the invention begins in countless descriptions of incredible creatures. And already in 1646, Sir Thomas Brown declared that the griffin is nothing more than a purely symbolic creature. This can be considered a sunset of the era of griffins - very soon they finally “left” the real world, moving into the sphere of art and poetry.

Despite the fact that the era of griffins has long passed, they are still in demand in modern art: cinema, painting and literature.

   A wayward animal appears quite rarely on the film, and the last known picture with his participation is “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (although, by and large, it was not a griffin, but a hippogryph that was shown there). Beak-winged turned out to be one of the most charming heroes of the third “Harry Potter”, and if the “Animal Oscar” existed, it would certainly have been awarded to this creature.

   Artists working in the fantasy genre often turn to the image of a griffin. It can be seen in the works of such artists as Tim Hildebrandt (Tim Hildebrandt) and Boris Vallejo (Boris Vallejo). Well, and those who want to not only look at the griffin, but also feel in its skin (or sitting on top, or rather, in feathers), can play computer games where the griffin is found no less often than the unicorn. Suffice it to recall the strategy of “World of Warcraft” and the famous series of “Heroes” (“Heroes of Might and Magic”).
   Griffin from the desktop wargame “Mage Knight” allows pretty girls to ride on themselves.
   In science fiction, griffins rarely appear. For example, in the saga “DragonLance” by M. Ways and T. Hickman. There, these animals are represented stubborn and wayward, but still subordinate to their masters. They are also featured in the novels by Andre Norton, Pierce Anthony and Clifford Saimak. There are griffins in works for children: “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll and “Gryphon and the Younger Canon” by Frank Stockton.

Griffins in the prophecies


   Michel Nostradamus (1503-1566) - a famous astrologer, scientist and prophet - used the symbolic image of griffins in his 86th century:

   Like a griffin, the king of Europe will come,

   Accompanied by the Aquilonian.

   He will lead a large army of red and white,

   And he will oppose the king of Babylon (X, 86).

Researchers suggest that here we are talking about Russian Tsar Alexander I (griffin - the coat of arms of the Romanov dynasty), who will lead the army of the coalition of European states (red and white - the British and Austrians) and defeat Napoleon. “Aquilon” Nostradamus called the “area of \u200b\u200bthe north wind” - that is, most likely, Russia.

   Nostradamus is also credited with the “Siksens” (prophetic quatrains), which were actually written by a certain Vincent Sev in the 17th century. Griffin is again mentioned in 29 and 56 siksene, however, given that these predictions of Nostradamus are fake, it is hardly worth looking for a secret meaning in them.

Despite their very advanced age during which griffins are known to people, these creatures continue to live. The synthetic image, which embodied the features of the most proud and noble animals - the eagle and the lion - turned out to be so successful that it has survived to this day without any significant changes. Unlike other representatives of the non-existent menagerie, the griffin is so bright, original and majestic that even in our time - the era of computers, space and international terrorism - one unwittingly wants to believe in the veracity of ancient legends about a beautiful freedom-loving creature with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle.

Griffin
   A fabulous animal with the head and claws of an eagle, the body of a lion, but without wings. Used in heraldry. It symbolizes the sun, sky, the golden light of dawn, as well as the combination of the properties of an eagle and a lion. As treasure keeper, he means vigilance and retribution. In the East, the griffin shares with the dragon the symbolism of wisdom and enlightenment. In ancient Greece, as a solar animal, he was dedicated to Apollo; as the personification of wisdom - Athena; as a symbol of retribution - Nemesis. In Christianity, the griffin means evil, taking away the souls of the devil, as well as those who persecuted Christians. Later, according to Dante, he began to symbolize the two natures of Christ and the role of the Pope as a spiritual and secular ruler.

GRIFFIN. Character of ancient Greek mythology.

   The griffin was portrayed as a monster with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. He was called the dog of Zeus, since it was believed that the Griffin was harnessed to his chariot. In ancient Greece, images of the monster are very common, they can be seen carved on the columns of buildings and ancient amphorae.
   Griffins were credited with many medicinal properties, for example, their feathers supposedly had the ability to cure blindness. Bowls were made from the claws of monsters, which changed color if poisoned wine was poured into them.
For the first time, the ancient Greeks learned about these creatures from the stories of the tramp traveler Aristius, who seemed to have seen them during a six-year journey through Asia, southern Russia, the Caucasus Mountains. For several years Aristius lived with the Issedonians, a tribe of people whose customs included eating their parents, whose skulls they had kept for their whole lives.
   The Issedonians told the traveler about the magical land of Hyperborea, in which wild tribes of one-eyed Arimasp lived. Their main occupations were cultivating meager mountain lands and searching for gold.
   In higher places, griffins lived, which guarded a large supply of gold from the inhabitants of Hyperborea.
   They were so huge and strong that they brought whole bulls to the nests. Returning to his homeland, Aristius told his relatives a lot about the mysterious country and its inhabitants.