Griffin

Origin and tradition

Greek and Near Eastern traditions describe Griffins as eagle-lion guardians of treasure and sacred power.

Illustration in this atlas

An eagle-headed creature with feathered wings and front talons, a lion's body, hind paws, and tail. The plate chooses the familiar winged classical griffin; wingless variants also occur in art.

References and further reading

1. en.wikipedia.org — Griffin
2. metmuseum.org — 472849
3. getty.edu — Griffin

These references offer further reading. Accounts and depictions vary; the atlas illustration is interpretive artwork, rather than historical or scientific evidence.