The
griffin,
griffon, or
gryphon (
Greek: γρύφων,
grýphōn, or γρύπων,
grýpōn, early form
γρύψ,
grýps; ) is a
legendary creature with the body, tail, and
back legs of a
lion; the head and wings of an
eagle; and an eagle's talons as its front feet. Because the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle the king of birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. The griffin was also thought of as king of all creatures. Griffins are known for guarding treasure and priceless possessions.
Adrienne Mayor, a classical folklorist, proposes that the griffin was an ancient misconception derived from the fossilized remains of the
Protoceratops found in gold mines in the
Altai mountains of
Scythia, in present-day southeastern
Kazakhstan, or in
Mongolia. In antiquity it was a
symbol of
divine power and a guardian of the divine.