The Griffins were said to battle fiercely against the Arimaspians, one-eyed people who sought to steal the gold the Griffins guarded. This association with treasure and riches gave the Griffin a reputation as a defender of wealth and prosperity. Though similar creatures were known to many other ancient cultures, the Greek Griffin has probably exerted the strongest influence on the Western imagination. Griffins have appeared in works of art and literature throughout history, including Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy and John Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Wingless griffin

Though the Hippogriff has the body of a horse instead of a lion, it retains the Griffin’s majestic wings and eagle’s head, symbolizing nobility, loyalty, and strength. In medieval bestiaries—illustrated books of real and mythical animals—the Griffin was described as a noble and fierce guardian. Its ability to fly and its connection to lions, known for their bravery and leadership, gave it an air of kingship and authority. Griffins were believed to mate for life and were often seen as symbols of loyalty, honor, and guardianship. If one mate died, the other was said never to take another partner, further emphasizing the creature’s symbolic purity and fidelity.
Bronze griffin head from rim of cauldron (third quarter of the 7th century BCE). Griffins appeared in Greek and Aegean art long before they were described in literature—as early as the Bronze Age. They remained popular throughout the Archaic (ca. 800–490 BCE) and Classical (ca. 490–323 BCE) periods. As you can probably imagine, the griffin is a terrible enemy in a fight. Ancient historians claimed that this creature preyed on elephants and giraffes—so it made short work of human intruders.

Modern culture

The Gryphon is the official school mascot for Raffles Institution, appearing also on the top of the school crest. Similarly, prior to the mid-1990s a griffin formed part of the logo of Midland Bank (now HSBC). The griffin is used in the logo of United Paper Mills, Vauxhall Motors, and of Scania and its former partners Saab Group and Saab Automobile. In The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson, BUY XANAX WITHOUT PRESCRITION Hazel Levesque, and Frank Zhang are attacked by griffins in Alaska. In Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy story Purgatorio, after Dante and Virgil's journey through Hell and Purgatory has concluded, Dante meets a chariot dragged by a griffin in Earthly Paradise.

Together, these elements create a creature that embodies the best of both the physical and spiritual worlds. In the Renaissance, as classical mythology was rediscovered and embraced by European artists and writers, the Griffin continued to be used as a symbol of strength, courage, and majesty. Artists like Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci included Griffins in their works, using the creature to represent wisdom, nobility, and divine authority. Both Christians and Muslims seized upon the griffin as a religious symbol.

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