Ref: 0009930-1: "Griffin" Seal

This is a refined Italian seal that consists of a waxed turned wooden handle and a bronze disc engraved with a Griffin.

The griffin, from the Latin gryphys, is a fabulous animal from Antiquity, represented with the body of a lion, the hooked beak of a bird of prey, upright ears, paws adorned with formidable claws, two wings and a long tail. It is a symbol of strength.

The griffin easily entered the world of the Middle Ages. It was indeed considered a real animal belonging to the genus of birds, and no one seemed to doubt its existence. It was encountered very early in Christian art and literature. It then spread to all forms of art and Western regions, and was the subject of numerous scholarly commentaries in bestiaries and medieval literature.
Towards the end of the Middle Ages, the griffin was used in coats of arms. Many shields were decorated with heads, or full bodies, representing a griffin.