A gryphon (also spelled griffin) is a mythical creature with the head, wings, and front talons of an eagle combined with the body, back legs, and tail of a lion. Imagine taking two of the most powerful animals people knew in ancient times and merging them into one magnificent beast.

Gryphons appear in stories and artwork from ancient Persia, Greece, and Egypt, often guarding treasure or precious objects. Medieval European tales placed them in distant mountains, describing them as fierce protectors of gold. Because they combined the eagle (ruler of the sky) and the lion (king of beasts), gryphons symbolized strength, courage, and vigilance.

You'll find gryphons carved into old buildings, painted in ancient artwork, and featured in modern fantasy novels and games. They remain popular because they capture something exciting about mixing different powerful qualities into one creature. When architects or artists want to suggest that a place or family is strong and noble, they might include a gryphon in the design.

The creature appears in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as the Gryphon, a character who escorts Alice and talks about mock turtle soup. In many fantasy stories, gryphons serve as loyal mounts for heroes or guardians of sacred places.