Difference between revisions of "Griffin" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Category:Mythical creatures]]
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The '''Griffin''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] ''gryphos'', [[Persian language|Persian]] شیردال‌ ''shirdal'' "lion-eagle") (also very often spelled '''gryphon''' and, less commonly, '''gryphen''', '''griffon''', '''griffen''', or '''gryphin''') is a [[legendary creature]] with the body of a [[lion]] and the head and wings of an [[eagle]]. As the lion was considered the "'''King of the Beasts'''" and the eagle the "'''King of the Air'''", the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. The griffin is generally represented with four legs, wings and a beak, with eagle-like [[talon]]s in place of a lion's forelegs and feathered, [[horse|equine-like]] ears jutting from its [[skull]]. Some traditions say that only female griffins have wings. Some writers describe the tail as a serpent. See the entry [[Saint George and the Dragon]] for a [[19th century]] painting of [[St George]] and the dragon, showing a dragon very like a classically-conceived griffin.
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[[Image:Cotta_Greif_1839.jpg|thumb|200 px|The logo of Cottasche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart]]
Classical and heraldic griffins are male and female. A "male" griffin, called a '''keythong''' in a single [[15th century]] English heraldic manuscript, is an anomaly that belongs strictly to a late phase of English [[heraldry]]: see below. 
 
  
==Nature of Griffins==
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The '''Griffin''' (sometimes spelled '''gryphon''' or '''griffen''', ''gryphos'' in [[Greek language|Ancient Greek]] or شیردال ''shirdal'' in [[Persian language|Persian]]) is a [[legendary creature]] with the body of a [[lion]] and the head and wings of an [[eagle]]. Seen as guardians of secretly buried wealth, the griffin evolved from a ferocious animal of antiquity to become a [[symbol]] of strength and valor. It is one of the most common mythical creatures to appear in [[heraldry|heraldic]] images, fittingly representing the hoped for nobility of leaders in human society.  
[[image:Saena.jpg|200px|thumb|left|[[Sassanid|Sassanid Persian]] silver plate of a [[Simurgh|Simurgh (Sēnmurw)]], 4-6th c. A.D]]
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[[Image:Lots of Pictures 063 resize.jpg|thumb|right|Griffin ([[Homa]]) in [[Persepolis]], Iran]]
 
Tales of griffins and the [[Arimaspi]] of distant [[Scythia]] near the cave of [[Boreas]], the North Wind (''Geskleithron'') were elaborated in the lost archaic poem of [[Aristeas|Aristeas of Proconnesus]], ''Arimaspea'', and eagerly reported by [[Herodotus]] and in [[Pliny's Natural History]].
 
The griffin was said to build a [[nest]], like an eagle. Instead of eggs, it lays [[agate]]s. The animal was supposed to watch over [[gold]] [[mining|mines]] and hidden treasures, and to be the enemy of the [[horse]]. The incredibly rare offspring of griffin and horse would be called [[hippogriff]].
 
  
Griffins were consecrated to the [[Sun]]; and ancient painters represented the chariot of the Sun as drawn by griffins. The griffin was a common feature of "animal style" Scythian gold; it was said to inhabit the [[Scythia]] 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. The Scythians used giant [[petrification|petrified]] bones found in this area as proof of the existence of griffins and to keep outsiders away from the gold and precious stones. It has recently been suggested that these "griffin bones" were actually [[dinosaur]] [[fossils]], which are common in this part of the world.
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==Overview==
[[Image:Griffioen,Kasteel de Haar.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Heraldic guardian griffin at [[Kasteel de Haar]], Netherlands]]
 
[[Adrienne Mayor]], a classical [[folklore|folklorist]], has made tentative connections, in ''Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times'', 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. Mayor draws upon similarities that exist between the [[Protoceratops]] (b.c.e. millions of years) skulls of the steppes leading to the Gobi Desert, and the legends of the gold-hoarding griffin told by nomadic Scythians of the region  (less ancient).
 
  
In [[Ancient Egypt]], the griffin was depicted with a slender, feline body and the head of a falcon. 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. Divine figures in [[egyptian mythology]], depicted as griffins, include Sefer, Sefert, and Axex.
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[[Image:Schweizer Tapisseur 001.jpg|thumb|250 px|left|Detail of fifteenth century tapestry]]
  
Ancient [[Elam]]ites used griffin symbol extensively in their architecture. In Elam legends, a Griffin was presented to Elamite Gods. In [[Persian mythology]], in particular during the [[Achaemenid dynasty]], griffins called [[Homa (mythology)|Homa]] were used widely as statues and symbols in palaces. Homa also had a special place in [[Persian literature]] as guardians of light.
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Griffins have had a rather consistent [[physiology]] throughout the ages. They are generally depicted with four legs, two wings, and a beak, with [[eagle]]-like talons in place of a [[lion]]'s forelegs and feathered, and [[horse|equine]]-like ears jutting from the skull. Among the few variations are those traditions claiming that only the females had wings and others indicating that the griffin's tails are [[serpent]]-like.
  
[[Image:Griffin.JPG|thumbnail|A modernist, Egyptianized guardian griffin, [[Washington D.C.]]]]A 9th century Irish writer by the name of Stephen Scotus asserted that griffins were highly monogamous. 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]]. Being in part both a flying and a land-bound animal, it was seen in Christianity to be a symbol of Jesus Christ (who was both human and divine).
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==Origins==
The egg-laying habits of the female were first clearly described by St. [[Hildegard of Bingen]], a German nun author of the 12th century. 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 3 eggs (about the size of Ostrich eggs), and stand guard over them.
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One suggested set of associations extends from the rich [[fossil]] beds around the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] across the steppes to the [[Gobi Desert]] and on to the [[myth]]s of griffins, [[centaur]]s, and archaic giants originating in the classical world. Classical [[folklore|folklorist]] Adrienne Mayor draws upon similarities between the skulls of [[Protoceratops]] living millions of years ago in the steppes leading to the Gobi Desert, and the [[legend]]s of the [[gold]]-hoarding griffin told by [[nomad]]ic [[Scythian]]s of the region.<ref>Mayor, Adrienne. 2001. ''Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691089779</ref>
  
[[image:gryphon.gif|thumb|left|200px|Gryphon illustration by Sir John Tenniel for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland]]
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While it is possible that ancient cultures devised griffin legends from the fossils of actual animals, it is more likely that the griffins were creations of myth and [[symbolism]].
In [[architecture|architectural]] decoration the griffin is usually represented as a four-footed beast with wings and the head of a [[leopard]] or [[tiger]] with [[Horn (anatomy)|horn]]s, or with the head and beak of an eagle. 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.
 
  
A griffin (spelled "gryphon") is featured in [[Lewis Carroll]]'s ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland|Alice in Wonderland]]'' in which the Queen of Hearts' orders the gryphon to take Alice to see the [[Mock Turtle]] and hear its story. The original illustrations by Sir [[John Tenniel]] depict the gryphon in an unusually naturalistic style (pictured to the left).
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The earliest references to griffins come out of [[Persian Empire|ancient Persia]]. In [[Persian mythology]], in particular during the [[Achaemenid Empire]], griffins or [[Homa]] were used widely as [[statue]]s and symbols in palaces. Homa also had a special place in Persian literature as guardians of light. In [[Ancient Egypt]], griffins were depicted with a slender, [[cat|feline]] body and the head of a [[falcon]]. 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. Several figures in [[Egyptian mythology]] were depicted as griffins, including Sefer, Sefert, and Axex. Griffins were also sometimes seen as pulling the chariot of the [[pharaoh]]s.<ref> Crystal, Ellie. [http://www.crystalinks.com/griffins.html ''Griffins: The Eagle and the Lion''.] Access date: February 9, 2007.</ref>
  
Some large species of [[Old World vulture]]s are called gryphons, including the [[griffon vulture]] (''Gyps fulvus''), as are [[list of dog breeds|some breeds]] of [[dog]] (griffons).
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Tales of griffins and the [[Arimaspi]] of distant [[Scythia]] near the cave of [[Boreas]], the North Wind ''(Geskleithron)'', were elaborated in the lost archaic poem of Aristeas of Proconnesus, ''Arimaspea'', and eagerly reported by [[Herodotus]] and in [[Pliny]]'s ''Natural History''. The griffin was said to build a nest, like an eagle. Instead of eggs, it laid [[agate]]s. The animal was supposed to watch over gold [[mining|mines]] and hidden treasures, and to be the enemy of the horse. Griffins were consecrated to the [[Sun]]; and ancient painters represented the chariot of the Sun as drawn by griffins. The griffin was a common feature of "animal style" Scythian gold; 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.
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Elsewhere in Ancient [[Greek mythology]], the griffins were said to be "the hounds of Zeus," but were also associated with [[Nemesis]], the goddess of retribution, as well as the god [[Apollo]].<ref>Hamilton, Edith. 1998. ''Mythology''. Back Bay Books. ISBN 0316341517</ref>
  
The scientific species name for the [[Condor|Andean Condor]] is ''Vultur gryphus''; Latin for "griffin-vulture".
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Ancient [[Elam]]ites used griffin symbolism extensively in their [[architecture]]. In Elam legends, a Griffin was presented to Elamite Gods.
  
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==European Cultural depictions==
  
===Hippogriffs===
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The griffin continued to be largely represented in the fine arts in [[Europe]], such as [[tapestry|tapestries]] and illustrations, but later on also began to take on [[Christianity|Christian]] [[symbolism]] as well. The dual nature of the griffin was often seen as mirroring the dual nature of [[Jesus of Nazareth|Christ]], particularly because a griffin flew in the sky as easily as it walked on the ground, reflecting Christ's divine and human qualities. In English literature, the griffin became seen as a symbol of fidelity&mdash;griffins had one mate for life, and if one died, the other never mated again.
Griffins are traditionally regarded as having an antipathy for horses. Therefore the '''[[hippogriff]]''', being the offspring of a horse and a griffin, was a doubly impossible being.  Nevertheless, some tales depicted their existence.
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In [[architecture|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]].
  
 
==Heraldic Griffins==
 
==Heraldic Griffins==
[[image:griffin3.jpg|thumb|200px|Medieval figure of a heraldic griffin]]The griffin is often seen as a [[heraldry#Charges|charge]] in [[heraldry]].
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[[image:griffin3.jpg|thumb|200px|Medieval figure of a heraldic griffin]]The griffin is often seen as a "charge" in [[heraldry]].<ref> ''The Gryphon In Heraldry''.</ref>
 
 
A heraldic griffin (or gryphon) has the hind parts (including legs and tail) of a [[lion]], the upper parts (including feathered neck, wings, claws, and head with beak) of an [[eagle]] and also ears.  It is the ears which distinguish the griffin's head from an eagle's head in heraldry, which is important because, as well as the full griffin, the griffin's head is also often found in heraldry and would otherwise be identical to the head of the eagle.
 
 
 
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”.  Since the lion and the eagle were both important charges in heraldry, it is perhaps not surprising that their [[hybrid]], the griffin, was also a frequent choice.  The symbolism of the lion-eagle combination was also the subject of a quotation attributed to Chassaneus by Alexander Nisbet in his ''System of Heraldry'' (1722; p 343 of Vol I of the 1816 edn):  "Gryphus significat sapientiam jungendam fortitudini, sed sapientiam debere praeire, fortitudinem sequi.".  This translates as:  “The griffin represents wisdom joined to fortitude, but wisdom should lead, and fortitude follow".  There are alternate translations.
 
 
 
Heraldic griffins are usually shown rearing up, facing left, and standing on one hind leg with the other leg and the claws raised:  this posture is described in the Norman-French language of heraldry as "segreant", a word uniquely applied to griffins, and which is the exact equivalent of the description of lions and other creatures in heraldry as "rampant". 
 
[[image:citylondonarms.jpg|thumb|200px|Arms of the City of London flanked by the dragons popularly referred to as griffins]]
 
A heraldic griffin was included as one of the ten [[Queen's Beasts]] sculpted for the coronation of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|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]].
 
[[Image:Herb Gryf1.jpg|thumb|left|180px|[[Gryf Coat of Arms]]]]
 
The [[City of London]] adopted what are usually described as griffins as [[supporters]] for its [[coat of arms]], and it marks its boundaries with statues of a single "griffin" carrying the City coat of arms at each road leading into the City of London.  However, the City of London griffins are, in fact, heraldic [[dragons]], with scaly bodies and wings, no feathers, and no eagle's beak.
 
 
 
===The "keythong"===
 
The heraldic beast called a "keythong" much enjoyed among members of the [[Society for Creative Anachronism]] is claimed to appear in a single English manuscript of the reign of [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]], a heraldic solipsism.  J.R. Planche's ''Pursuivant of Arms'' (London 1859) notes, under the badge of the [[Earl of Ormonde]] (first creation) as recorded in a College of Arms manuscript under Edward IV, the single contemporary reference:  "A pair of keythongs." 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 Parker's Glossary, under Griffin." ([http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/1986/05/cvr.html Society of Creative Anachronism website]). At the end of the 20th century the "keythong" began to be taken up enthusiastically among adherents of heraldry.
 
 
 
 
 
  
==The Griffin Surname==
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A heraldic griffin (or gryphon) has the hind parts (including legs and tail) of a [[lion]], the upper parts (including feathered neck, wings, claws, and head with beak) of an [[eagle]] and also ears. The ears distinguish the griffin's head from an eagle's head in heraldry, which is important because the griffin's head would otherwise be identical to the head of the eagle, both of which are often found in heraldry as heads without bodies. Since the lion and the eagle were both important charges in heraldry, it is perhaps not surprising that their hybrid, the griffin, was also a frequent choice:
The surname "Griffin" has two primary [[Gaelic]] sources in [[Ireland]], which pertain to the towns of Ballygriffey in [[County Clare|Co. Clare]], and Ballygriffin in [[County Kerry|Co. Kerry]]. The spelling "Ó Gríobhtha" is associated with the Co. Clare family, whose surname was also anglicised as "O'Griffey" or "Griffey". "Ó Gríobhtha" translates to English as "decedent of the Griffin-like". The "Ó Griffín" spelling belongs to the Kerry family. In Ireland, the name can also be associated with the Norman surname "Griffith", but to a much lesser degree. (O'Laughin 1997)
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<blockquote>In the late fourteenth century, John de Bado Aureo wrote "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."<ref>Nigg, Joe. 1995. ''Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon''. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 156308242X</ref></blockquote>
  
The surname "Griffin" in Wales is also, generally speaking, a variant of the surname "Griffith", or other similar [[Welsh language|Welsh]] names.
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Heraldic griffins are usually shown rearing up, facing left, and standing on one hind leg with the other leg and the claws raised: this posture is described in the Norman-French language of heraldry as ''segreant'', a word uniquely applied to griffins, and which is the exact equivalent of the description of lions and other creatures in heraldry as ''rampant''.  
  
==Griffins in Literature==
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A heraldic griffin was included as one of the ten Queen's Beasts sculpted for the coronation of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|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]].
*[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland|Alice in Wonderland]] by [[Lewis Carroll]] (see reference in summary above)
 
*In [[Neil Gaiman|Neil Gaiman's]] [[Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]] comic book series, a griffin is one of three guardians of [[Dream (comics)|Morpheus']] palace in [[The Dreaming]]
 
*[[The Invisible Man|Griffin]] is the Invisible Man in H.G. Wells' novel ''The Invisible Man.''
 
*The Griffin is [[Monster in My Pocket]] #5.
 
*The ''Crossroads'' series by Nick O'Donohoe, including ''The Magic and the Healing'', ''Under the Healing Sign'', and ''Healing of Crossroads''.  Griffins play a significant role in this series about veterinary students called upon to help mythological creatures.
 
*Three varieties of griffins, with different spellings and very different dispositions, appear in the popular children's novel ''[[David and the Phoenix]]'' by Edward Ormondroyd.
 
*[[Minor Harry Potter Beasts#Griffin|Griffin]]s are among the [[Magical beasts (Harry Potter)|magical creatures]] that exist in the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' series. [[Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]]'s house (i.e., grouping of pupils) at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] is called ''[[Hogwarts Houses#Gryffindor|Gryffindor]]'', after its founder [[Godric Gryffindor]]. "Gryffindor" may come from the French "gryffon d'or" or "golden griffin", but, oddly, its emblem is a lion and not a griffin. The gargoyle guarding the [[Hogwarts]] headmaster's office is depicted in the Harry Potter movies as a half-phoenix, half-lion griffin.
 
*''The Griffin and the Minor Canon'' by [[Frank R. Stockton]], illustrated by [[Maurice Sendak]] ([[1968]])
 
*''Collinsfort Village'' by Joe Ekaitis, illustrated by Nick Greenwood, features a griffin living near an imaginary Colorado suburb.
 
*Gryphons are among the creatures in Aslan's army in ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]''. 
 
*''The Mage Wars Trilogy'' by [[Mercedes Lackey]] and Larry Dixon. A gryphon known as Skandranon is one of the lead characters. Titles are ''The Black Gryphon'', ''The White Gryphon'' and ''The Silver Gryphon''.
 
*''[[The Divine Comedy]]'' by [[Dante Alighieri]].  A griffin pulls the chariot which brings Beatrice to Dante in Canto XXIX of the ''[[The Divine Comedy#Purgatorio|Purgatory]]''.
 
*''Revenge of the Shadow King'' by [[Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis]]
 
*A human baby turns into a griffin in Wilanne Schneider Belden's ''Frankie!''
 
*Griffins play a part in the ''[[Dragonlance]]'' novels, under the command of [[List of Dragonlance creatures#Elves|Elves]].
 
*In the [[Eberron]] campaign setting for ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', the griffon is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked [[Dragonmarked house#House Jorasco|House Jorasco]].
 
*In ''[[The Once and Future King]]'' by [[T. H. White]], young [[King Arthur|Arthur]] and his step-brother [[Sir Kay|Kay]] battle a fierce griffin with aid from [[Robin Hood]] soon after freeing captives of [[Morgan le Fay]].
 
*In Baldur's Gate 2, the [[gnome]] NPC Jan Janssen's family (according to him) has had a number of encounters with griffins, mostly as a food source. One spoken line from the character is a panicked "What? Is there a griffin about?"
 
*There is a griffin-like English gargoyle in the animated series ''[[Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]]'', named [[Gargoyle clan#Griff|Griff]].
 
*In the Warcraft Universe, griffins serve as flying mounts to dwarves and other races of the Alliance.
 
  
==Miscellany==
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The City of [[London]] adopted what are usually described as griffins as supporters for its [[coat of arms]], and it marks its boundaries with statues of a single "griffin" carrying the City coat of arms at each road leading into the City of London. However, the City of London griffins are, in fact, heraldic [[dragon]]s, with scaly bodies and wings, no feathers, and no eagle's beak.
  
*[[Midland Bank]] used a griffin as its symbol before it was subsumed into its [[The_Hongkong_and_Shanghai_Banking_Corporation|HSBC]] parent company.
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==Literature==
*[[Waterloo_R.F.C.|Waterloo Rugby Club's]] badge features a griffin in the centre of a red Lancastrian Rose.
 
*Griffin is a somewhat unusual boy's name from the 1990s.
 
*The Norwegian county of [[Troms]] and municipality of [[Bjarkøy]] have griffons in their coat-of-arms.
 
*[[De Montfort University]] uses a griffin for its logo.
 
*[[Vauxhall Motors]] of [[Luton]], England, uses the griffin as its trademark.
 
*[[Saab Automobile AB]] also uses the griffin as its logo. Saab Aerospace built a fighter jet, the JA-39 Gripen, which in Swedish means "griffin".
 
*[[Busch Gardens Europe]] in Williamsburg, VA has announced their new [[rollercoaster]] for 2007 will be [[Griffon (roller coaster)|Griffon]], designed by Swiss manufacturer [[Bolliger & Mabillard]].
 
*The home ground of English [[football]] team [[Brentford FC]] is called [[Griffin Park]] because of the griffin that features in the logo of [[Fuller's Brewery]], which had previously owned the land.  A local pub next to the ground is also named ''The Griffin''.
 
  
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The griffin has appeared in various types of literature. Echoing the classical depictions, in [[Dante Alighieri]]'s ''Purgatorio'' a griffin pulled the chariot that brought Beatrice to Dante in Canto XXIX.
  
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In ''Paradise Lost'', [[John Milton]] makes use of their very wondrous nature in a variety of metaphors and similes through his retelling of Man's downfall in the [[Garden of Eden]]:
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::As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness
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::With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale,
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::Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stealth
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::Had from his wakeful custody purloined
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::The guarded Gold: So eagerly the fiend
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::Ore bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,
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::With head, hands, wings, or feet pursues his way <ref> Milton, John. 1667. ''Paradise Lost''. Book II, lines 943-950.</ref>
  
===Griffin Mascots===
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A griffin (spelled "gryphon") is featured in [[Lewis Carroll]]'s ''Alice in Wonderland'' in which the Queen of Hearts' orders the gryphon to take Alice to see the Mock Turtle and hear its story. For a young generation in nineteenth-century [[England]], Sir [[John Tenniel]]'s illustration depicting the gryphon in an unusually naturalistic style, brought into popular culture the new idea of the griffin as part of a childlike fantasy world, akin to [[unicorn]]s or [[elf|elves]].
  
*[[Lincoln-Way Community High School District|Lincoln-Way East High School]] in [[Frankfort, IL]]
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A griffin-like creature also appears in [[Maurice Sendak]]'s classic ''Where the Wild Things Are''. Many pop culture publications that incorporate classical elements, such as ''Dungeons and Dragons'', also use representations of griffins.
*[[Canisius College]] in [[Buffalo, New York]].
 
*[[Chestnut Hill College]] in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]].
 
*[[Reed College]] in [[Portland, Oregon]].
 
*[[Sarah Lawrence College]] in [[Bronxville, New York]].
 
*[[Grand Rapids Griffins]], a team in the [[American Hockey League]].
 
*[[St. George's Independent School]] in Collierville, TN.
 
*[[Lehigh University]], whose Gryphon Society are the mentors to the Freshmen Class.
 
*[[Los Alamitos High School]]
 
*[[London Griffins]]; a [[rugby league]] club.
 
*[[Guelph Gryphons]]; the [[University of Guelph]], [[Guelph, Ontario]], [[Canada]].
 
*[[Chestnut Hill College]] in Philadelphia, PA.
 
*[[Missouri Western State University]] in St. Joseph, MO.
 
*[[Pomfret School]] in [[Pomfret, Connecticut]].
 
*[[Balshaws High School]] logo features a griffin in the centre as well as the words Non Sibi Sed Alis.
 
  
==Spelling Variants==
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==Notes==
''Griffin'' has been spelled various ways, all according to the language of the speaker referring to them. 
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<references/>
*Common English variants are gryphon, griffen, and griffon. 
 
*Spanish speakers refer to the creature as ''el grifón''. 
 
*Most other alternates include griffoun, griffun, griffyn, grifo, grifon, grifyn, grefyne, gríobhán, griphin, griphon, gryffen, gryffin, gryffon, gryfon, gryphen, and gryphin.
 
*Shortenings of the term vary wildly, as well.  These include griff, gryph, gryf, and grifo.
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
*O'Laughin, M. C. (1997). "The Book of Irish Families Great & Small". Irish Genealogical Foundation.
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* Conway, D. J. ''Magickal Mystical Creatures: Invite Their Powers Into Your Life''. Llewellyn Publications, 2001. ISBN 156718149X
 
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* Nigg, Joe. ''Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon''. Libraries Unlimited, 1995. ISBN 156308242X
 
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* Vinycomb, John. ''Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Art with Special Reference to Their Use in British Heraldry''. Kessinger Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0766182487
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{commonscat}}
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All links retrieved July 17, 2017.
*[http://www.gryphonpages.com/ The Gryphon Pages], a repository of griffin lore and information
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*[http://touregypt.net/featurestories/beasts.htm Beasts of Ancient Egypt]  
*[http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/griffins/ Griffins in Art and on the Web], an "art history through griffins"
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*[http://www.gryphonpages.com/ The Gryphon Pages] &ndash; a repository of griffin lore and information
*[http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/BESTIARY.html Greek Mythology Link ''Bestiary'':] Griffin, quoting [[Herodotus]], [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [[Strabo]]
 
*[http://pup.princeton.edu/titles/6811.html Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times]
 
 
*[http://www.mythicalrealm.com/creatures/aerie.html Lady Gryphon's Mythical Realm: Griffin Aerie]  
 
*[http://www.mythicalrealm.com/creatures/aerie.html Lady Gryphon's Mythical Realm: Griffin Aerie]  
*[http://touregypt.net/featurestories/beasts.htm Beasts of Ancient Egypt]
 
*Gryphons on [http://www.guildersgallery.com/wiki/index.php/Gryphon GryphonWiki]
 
 
  
 
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Latest revision as of 19:20, 31 January 2023


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The Griffin (sometimes spelled gryphon or griffen, gryphos in Ancient Greek or شیردال shirdal in Persian) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Seen as guardians of secretly buried wealth, the griffin evolved from a ferocious animal of antiquity to become a symbol of strength and valor. It is one of the most common mythical creatures to appear in heraldic images, fittingly representing the hoped for nobility of leaders in human society.

Overview

Detail of fifteenth century tapestry

Griffins have had a rather consistent physiology throughout the ages. They are generally depicted with four legs, two wings, and a beak, with eagle-like talons in place of a lion's forelegs and feathered, and equine-like ears jutting from the skull. Among the few variations are those traditions claiming that only the females had wings and others indicating that the griffin's tails are serpent-like.

Origins

One suggested set of associations extends from the rich fossil beds around the Mediterranean across the steppes to the Gobi Desert and on to the myths of griffins, centaurs, and archaic giants originating in the classical world. Classical folklorist Adrienne Mayor draws upon similarities between the skulls of Protoceratops living millions of years ago in the steppes leading to the Gobi Desert, and the legends of the gold-hoarding griffin told by nomadic Scythians of the region.[1]

While it is possible that ancient cultures devised griffin legends from the fossils of actual animals, it is more likely that the griffins were creations of myth and symbolism.

The earliest references to griffins come out of ancient Persia. In Persian mythology, in particular during the Achaemenid Empire, griffins or Homa were used widely as statues and symbols in palaces. Homa also had a special place in Persian literature as guardians of light. In Ancient Egypt, griffins were depicted with a slender, feline body and the head of a falcon. 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. Several figures in Egyptian mythology were depicted as griffins, including Sefer, Sefert, and Axex. Griffins were also sometimes seen as pulling the chariot of the pharaohs.[2]

Tales of griffins and the Arimaspi of distant Scythia near the cave of Boreas, the North Wind (Geskleithron), were elaborated in the lost archaic poem of Aristeas of Proconnesus, Arimaspea, and eagerly reported by Herodotus and in Pliny's Natural History. The griffin was said to build a nest, like an eagle. Instead of eggs, it laid agates. The animal was supposed to watch over gold mines and hidden treasures, and to be the enemy of the horse. Griffins were consecrated to the Sun; and ancient painters represented the chariot of the Sun as drawn by griffins. The griffin was a common feature of "animal style" Scythian gold; 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.

Elsewhere in Ancient Greek mythology, the griffins were said to be "the hounds of Zeus," but were also associated with Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, as well as the god Apollo.[3]

Ancient Elamites used griffin symbolism extensively in their architecture. In Elam legends, a Griffin was presented to Elamite Gods.

European Cultural depictions

The griffin continued to be largely represented in the fine arts in Europe, such as tapestries and illustrations, but later on also began to take on Christian symbolism as well. The dual nature of the griffin was often seen as mirroring the dual nature of Christ, particularly because a griffin flew in the sky as easily as it walked on the ground, reflecting Christ's divine and human qualities. In English literature, the griffin became seen as a symbol of fidelity—griffins had one mate for life, and if one died, the other never mated again.

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.

Heraldic Griffins

Medieval figure of a heraldic griffin

The griffin is often seen as a "charge" in heraldry.[4]

A heraldic griffin (or gryphon) has the hind parts (including legs and tail) of a lion, the upper parts (including feathered neck, wings, claws, and head with beak) of an eagle and also ears. The ears distinguish the griffin's head from an eagle's head in heraldry, which is important because the griffin's head would otherwise be identical to the head of the eagle, both of which are often found in heraldry as heads without bodies. Since the lion and the eagle were both important charges in heraldry, it is perhaps not surprising that their hybrid, the griffin, was also a frequent choice:

In the late fourteenth century, John de Bado Aureo wrote "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."[5]

Heraldic griffins are usually shown rearing up, facing left, and standing on one hind leg with the other leg and the claws raised: this posture is described in the Norman-French language of heraldry as segreant, a word uniquely applied to griffins, and which is the exact equivalent of the description of lions and other creatures in heraldry as rampant.

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.

The City of London adopted what are usually described as griffins as supporters for its coat of arms, and it marks its boundaries with statues of a single "griffin" carrying the City coat of arms at each road leading into the City of London. However, the City of London griffins are, in fact, heraldic dragons, with scaly bodies and wings, no feathers, and no eagle's beak.

Literature

The griffin has appeared in various types of literature. Echoing the classical depictions, in Dante Alighieri's Purgatorio a griffin pulled the chariot that brought Beatrice to Dante in Canto XXIX.

In Paradise Lost, John Milton makes use of their very wondrous nature in a variety of metaphors and similes through his retelling of Man's downfall in the Garden of Eden:

As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness
With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale,
Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stealth
Had from his wakeful custody purloined
The guarded Gold: So eagerly the fiend
Ore bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,
With head, hands, wings, or feet pursues his way [6]

A griffin (spelled "gryphon") is featured in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland in which the Queen of Hearts' orders the gryphon to take Alice to see the Mock Turtle and hear its story. For a young generation in nineteenth-century England, Sir John Tenniel's illustration depicting the gryphon in an unusually naturalistic style, brought into popular culture the new idea of the griffin as part of a childlike fantasy world, akin to unicorns or elves.

A griffin-like creature also appears in Maurice Sendak's classic Where the Wild Things Are. Many pop culture publications that incorporate classical elements, such as Dungeons and Dragons, also use representations of griffins.

Notes

  1. Mayor, Adrienne. 2001. Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691089779
  2. Crystal, Ellie. Griffins: The Eagle and the Lion. Access date: February 9, 2007.
  3. Hamilton, Edith. 1998. Mythology. Back Bay Books. ISBN 0316341517
  4. The Gryphon In Heraldry.
  5. Nigg, Joe. 1995. Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 156308242X
  6. Milton, John. 1667. Paradise Lost. Book II, lines 943-950.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Conway, D. J. Magickal Mystical Creatures: Invite Their Powers Into Your Life. Llewellyn Publications, 2001. ISBN 156718149X
  • Nigg, Joe. Wonder Beasts: Tales and Lore of the Phoenix, the Griffin, the Unicorn, and the Dragon. Libraries Unlimited, 1995. ISBN 156308242X
  • Vinycomb, John. Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Art with Special Reference to Their Use in British Heraldry. Kessinger Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0766182487

External Links

All links retrieved July 17, 2017.

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