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In the Classical Age, the mythical griffin was a symbol of strength and nobility. With the beaked head of an eagle, the body of a lion, and splendid wings, it was often adopted as an emblem of kings. The image of the griffin originated in the Persian East and was exported to Greece along the trade routes. It was particularly favored in the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia, where it adorned pottery, mosaics, jewelry, sculpture, and tapestries. This exquisite vessel is decorated with a griffin crouching as if preparing for flight. To look upon it is to understand the boundless limits of human imagination. - (PF.0147)
Antiquities
Ancient Greek
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