Griffon/Griffen/Gryphon/Griffin...
Picture by Boris Vallejo
Griffons love gold and, like some dragons, they steal it, hoard it, and ferociously guard it. This reputation gave the Griffon the honour of becoming the symbol of guardianship, protection, justice and retribution. there has been some dispute over the centuries about whether the Griffon was a friend or foe to humans. During the 19th century it was popular belief that this great creature was gentle and harmless. At other times however the Griffon was known as one of mankind's most dangerous enemies.
The Griffon stands about 2 feet higher than a shire horse and it's rear is that of a lion with a long tail and claws. It's front is that of an eagle although it's ears look feline. The eyes of the Griffon glow and it has huge wings on it's back with which it flies at tremendous speeds. It's forelegs are those of an eagle with great, sharp talons to match it's viscious looking beak. They will eat any manner of prey but are notoreous for being horse theives. They swoop down on them from above and carry them off (with or without rider). Aelian (c.200 Ad) said that the only animals which were safe from the fear of a Griffon attack were lions and elephants.
Griffons are monogomous and mate for life. The females prefer to lay their eggs in cool caves in inaccessible areas. St. Hildegard of Bingen wrote in the 12th centuray that female griffons will seek out a cave with a narrow entrance but room inside, this would make the cave easier to defend and well sheltered. She said that the eggs were about the same size as those of an ostrich which the female would stand guard over until they were hatched. The offspring would remain in the company of their parents for at least three years after they were hatched. It would take this long for them to develop physically and learn how to fend for themselves. The familial loyalty of the Griffon is probably the real reason for it's reputation as a guardian. Where people believed it was guarding it's treasure, it was more likely to have been protecting it's young.
The Griffon has been associated with deities like Negral (Egyptian god of the afterlife) and Ishtar IMistress of the Griffons) from as early as 3000BCE. There were pictures of Griffons on the walls of royal palaces in the second millenium BCE in Knossos. They have been depicted guarding the Tree of Life or as bodyguards to a king. Rome adopted the Griffon as a symbol of it's might and law giving role into the 4th century AD. Alternatively there are tales of a far less honourable and virtuous history. Aelian described # or 4 year expeditions by Indians where they hoped to pillage the Griffons' gold. Few men survived.
Yes I have used past tense in a lot of the text on this page, but there has been a report of the appearence of a Griffon in 1985 in Brentford (close to London UK). Where it came from and what became of it is unknown.
Includes information found in The Cryptozoological Society of London's 'A Natural History of the Unnatural World'
