What (who) is Griffin - definition
!["Griff" Statue in the forecourt of the Farkashegyi Cemetery Budapest, 2007](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/"Griff" Statue in the forecourt of the Farkasréti Cemetery Budapest.jpg?width=200 "\"Griff\" Statue in the forecourt of the Farkashegyi Cemetery Budapest, 2007")
![Gryphon]] in [[Lewis Carroll]]’s ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]''](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Alice griffin, rabbithole.jpg?width=200 "Gryphon]] in [[Lewis Carroll]]’s ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]]''")
![Griffin inscription at [[Sanchi Stupa]] from 3rd century BCE](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Danam letters on Sanchi inscription.jpg?width=200 "Griffin inscription at [[Sanchi Stupa]] from 3rd century BCE")
![The Gryphon is the emblem and mascot of the [[University of Guelph]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/FASTWÜRMS - Gryphon.jpg?width=200 "The Gryphon is the emblem and mascot of the [[University of Guelph]]")
![Early historic references to the gryphon describe the area of the [[Dzungarian Gate]], a region where ''Protoceratops'' and ''[[Psittacosaurus]]'' skeletons are very common.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Hyperborean-gryphon-persepolis-protoceratops-psittacosaurus-skeletons.jpg?width=200 "Early historic references to the gryphon describe the area of the [[Dzungarian Gate]], a region where ''Protoceratops'' and ''[[Psittacosaurus]]'' skeletons are very common.")
.jpg?width=200 "Martin Schongauer: ''The griffin'', 15th century")
![H. J. Ford]], 1899](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/The red animal story book - plate facing page 004.png?width=200 "H. J. Ford]], 1899")
![Heraldic guardian griffin at [[Kasteel de Haar]], Netherlands, 1892–1912](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Griffioen, Kasteel de Haar, juli 2003.JPG?width=200 "Heraldic guardian griffin at [[Kasteel de Haar]], Netherlands, 1892–1912")
![[[Rogue taxidermy]] griffin, [[Zoological Museum, Copenhagen]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Stuffed griffin.jpg?width=200 "[[Rogue taxidermy]] griffin, [[Zoological Museum, Copenhagen]]")
Wikipedia
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: γρύψ, gryps; Classical Latin: grȳps or grȳpus; Late and Medieval Latin: gryphes, grypho etc.; Old French: griffon) is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and sometimes 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 the birds, by the Middle Ages, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Since classical antiquity, griffins were known for guarding treasures and priceless possessions.
In Greek and Roman texts, griffins and Arimaspians were associated with gold deposits of Central Asia. Indeed, as Pliny the Elder wrote, "griffins were said to lay eggs in burrows on the ground and these nests contained gold nuggets."
