What is a griffin made up of?
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of lion and eagle
The griffin has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.
💡 Did you know? So it unites the „king of beasts“ with the „king of the skies.“
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What role does the griffin have in many legends?
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guardian of treasures
The griffin was seen as a vigilant guardian of gold, treasures and sacred places.
💡 Did you know? Legend said it guarded huge deposits of gold in distant mountains from thieves.
What does the griffin stand for as a symbol?
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strength and vigilance
The griffin unites the courage and strength of the lion with the sharpness and far sight of the eagle.
💡 Did you know? As a heraldic beast it still stands for royal power and protection.
Where do we still encounter the griffin today?
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on coats of arms and flags
The griffin adorns countless coats of arms, such as that of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and many cities.
💡 Did you know? As a trademark of cars and companies too the griffin remains popular today.
From which part of the world does the griffin myth come?
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from the ancient Near East
Images of griffins appear already in the ancient Near East, in Persia and in ancient Greece.
💡 Did you know? It was said that griffins in the far north guarded gold from the one-eyed Arimaspians.
What did the griffin stand for in Christian interpretation?
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for Christ
Because it unites earth (lion) and heaven (eagle), the griffin was read as a symbol of Christ.
💡 Did you know? In Dante's „Divine Comedy“ a griffin draws the chariot of the Church.
Which fossils may have fed the griffin myth?
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Protoceratops skulls
Beak-headed dinosaurs from the Gobi Desert.
💡 Did you know? A famous thesis by folklorist Adrienne Mayor.
Which German state bears the griffin in its arms?
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Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
The red Pomeranian griffin stands for Western Pomerania.
💡 Did you know? Poland's West Pomeranian voivodeship bears it too.
Which hybrid springs from griffin and horse?
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the hippogriff
Steed of heroes in Ariosto's “Orlando Furioso”.
💡 Did you know? Harry Potter's Buckbeak made it world-famous again.
Which ruler was said to be carried through the air by griffins?
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Alexander the Great
In a basket, lured by meat on spits above their heads.
💡 Did you know? A favourite motif of medieval church art.
Which culture set griffins as guardians of palaces and thrones?
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Persia
At Persepolis, columns carry mighty griffin heads.
💡 Did you know? From there the motif travelled to Greece.
Which German university town on the Baltic carries a mythical creature in its name and coat of arms?
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Greifswald
The griffin adorns both town and university arms.
💡 Did you know? Birthplace of the painter Caspar David Friedrich.
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