Essays and Such
Irish Cultural Society
of San Antonio Texas
Promoting Awareness of Irish Culture
Gryphon
by Unknown
Great Bird of Legend
The Gryphon myth originates somewhere
in the Near or Middle East. It is
found depicted in ancient Babylonian,
Assyrian, and Persian paintings and
sculptures. It is believed the myths
found life around 3,000 B.C. to be
the Pharoah's companion in Ancient
Egypt, and later became sacred
guardians in Minoa.
India was assigned as the native country of the Gryphon,
and the people of that land made Gryphon talons and claws
into drinking cups, they were of so great a size. Like the
Unicorn and other species of myth, magickal traits were
assigned to the talons. While the alicorn, or horn of the
Unicorn, was said to be an aphrodisiac, the talon of a
Gryphon was said to detect poison in a liquid when used as
a drinking cup. Very handy for the nobility, as this was a
common form of assassination.
Gryphons, like birds, built nests, or eyries (aeries), as
the nest of a bird of prey is called. The Gryphon laid an
agate, rather than an egg, therein. Gryphons found gold in
the mountains and made their nests from it.
This made their eyries very tempting to hunters, so
Gryphons were forced to keep vigilant guard over their
nests. Gryphons had instinct which allowed them to know
where buried treasure was, and they would apply themselves
to guarding it as best they could, keeping plunderers at
distance.
They are found in Greek mythology, neighbors of the
Hyperboreans and belonging to Zeus, they took gold from the
stream Arimaspias, the one-eyed people of Scythia.
It was written by Pomponius Mela, that a certain area was
uninhabitable, "because the Griffons (a cruel and eager kind
of wild beast) do wonderfully love the gold, which lies
discovered above the ground, and do wonderfully keep it, and
are very fierce upon them that touch it." Gryphons have always
been depicted as guardians of treasure. Gryphons themselves
depict gold, as they represent the wealth of the sun at dawn,
the gold in the east. They are also said to line their nests,
called Eyries, with pure gold, woe be to the traveler looking
to steal it.
Romans later used the Gryphon for decoration and in Christian
times the Gryphon motif appears.
In Christian symbolism, the Gryphon originally represented Satan
and evil, but later came to represent Christ, especially his dual
nature, both divine and earthly, as the Gryphon had mastery of
both land and sky, and was noble and majestic. Gryphons were said
to kill serpents and basilisks, both embodiments of evil, thus
protecting mankind. Gryphons symbolize both strength and wisdom
combined in heraldry. On medieval buildings, Gryphons were often
used as gargoyles, great stone guardians.
The Gryphon has relinquished most of these roles, and today
appears mostly in literature and heraldry.