Yet MORE GRIFFINS

 GRIFFINS ON A SACROPHAGUS

#delphi  #sacrophagus #Griffins

 

These two seem to be protecting a sacred flame. The style suggests the Hellenisitc era.

BYZANTINE GRIFFIN

 #griffin #byzantine #sculpture 

GREEK ART DOES NOT JUST MAGICALLY

 STOP AND START AT THE CLASSICAL ERA. 

It is a continuum.

Jumping forwards a few centuries here is an example that shows how Byzantine art may have influenced Islamic art and how the ancient griffin carvings of Mesopotamia influenced both.

Note the interlacing and the stylised plants and vines forming frames within frames emphasizing the griffin by filling in the background. This very leonine griffin has a birds talons on its forelegs but leonine rear paw and haunches and a mane plus the now traditional raptors beak and ears pointing forwards.

Let me know if you are finding this collection of images useful or enjoyable whether you are an illustrator seeking references or a scholar. Most of my collection came from Wikimedia Commons if you need large sizes go there!

HELLAS WILL ABIDE

Normally I would be continuing a series (such as the current one on griffins) but its time and timely to do a brief interruption.

Some of you may have seen news reports about recent FIRES in GREECE wild fires forest fires bushfires whatever you call them they are bringing death and destruction!

So a word of support! 

Well several ...

HELLAS WILL ABIDE 

Greece has endured earthquakes floods droughts invasions 

May it abide as the first European shore to be touched by "rosy fingered Dawn" ! 

Writing from a land also frequently effected by wild or arson caused fires remember the green will return and yes there will be a lot of unproductive finger pointing and people trying to exploit the situation.

Rebuild replant trees just maybe a lot less fast growing conifers and more slower growing elms cypress oak and please consider buying up burnt out properties to create a green belt of say playing or sports fields or public parks  to act as a fire barrier between housing and coastal scrub 

These work ! 

Unblock old stone cisterns 

Clear springs and waterways

Even a few degrees of coolness made a difference.  

Create more open space and public beach parks 

But most of all 

ABIDE 

Meine 

And know I'm seeing a lot of Australians not just of Greek descent working on ways to help you all ! 

MORE GRIFFINS

 MORE GRIFFINS

Whether the Griffin is depicted in Near Eastern Greek Roman or later art it is consistently shown with a slender feline body often described as leonine though some look more feline and whether or not it has wings a raptors head BUT WITH A CREST . 

One theory is that someone saw a fossil of a crested dinosaur or perhaps a bone deposit of several fossils tangled together but whatever started the stories the griffin is certainly one of the most striking creatures we have legends about and artistic depictions!

Here's some more Griffin art!

Here's a Persian frieze in which the Griffin has horns and a lions face rather than a crest.

More typical of Middle Eastern art was this ivory fragment.

Finally something Hellenic.

This griffin has a rather dragonish crest but the distinctive erect ears and beak and the artist has also included a sphinx and a leopard for contrast or as a complement.