Griffin tattoo meaning. What does a griffin tattoo mean? Photos of griffin tattoos
The griffin is the most mysterious mythical creature with which many legends are associated. The griffin has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. A powerful, beautiful animal that has interested people for a long time.
The griffin has long been considered the patron saint of merchants, moneylenders and other people associated with trade. Now, of course, he patronizes businessmen. According to one of the many legends, the griffin knew how to find gold, and when he found it, hide it from prying eyes.
The griffin was also considered the standard of strength, power, wisdom, courage and justice, because it is not for nothing that this creature combines two kings - birds and animals. Therefore, the griffin has long been chosen as the patron of the guilds of scientists and alchemists.
But Christians have stopped attributing good qualities to this animal. The Church endowed him with bloodthirstiness, vindictiveness and rancor. Therefore, the attitude towards him in Christian countries was rather negative.
Despite the fact that Greece is a Christian country, the Greeks were the first to abandon such an opinion. They considered this creature to be the messenger of the Gods and the guardian of the “tree of life.”
Meaning of a griffin tattoo
As usual, Christian beliefs played a big role, and therefore people now believe what they did in ancient times. The mythical creature is endowed with only positive qualities. Therefore, a tattoo with a griffin in the modern world means:
- courage and bravery;
- strength and nobility;
- greatness and justice.
Most often, a griffin is depicted on its hind legs with spread wings. But sometimes, remembering legends, this creature is drawn near the “tree of life.” This tattoo has a broader meaning than just a griffin.
Such drawings are preferred by brave, courageous young people, athletes, and fighters. It means that a person is not afraid to fight for a just cause and will not back down under any circumstances.
How to choose a griffin tattoo
You should choose such a tattoo based on your character traits. To ignorant people, such a drawing will seem simply beautiful and unusual, but those who understand the meaning of the image will have to answer. And if you do not have a sufficiently persistent and strong character, then you should not ask the artist for such a tattoo. It's better to choose something simpler.
The fictional creature, in which the strength of a lion and the speed of an eagle merged into one, was widespread many centuries ago. During the Middle Ages, griffins enjoyed ambiguous fame: on the one hand, they were endowed with demonic powers, but at the same time, preachers of Christianity equated this image with Christ. It was believed that Christ, like a lion, reigned on earth and, like an eagle, ascended to heaven.
Often this animal has the appearance of a lion, endowed with eagle wings and a head. This image of him in ancient times was called griffoleon. The name "griffin" known today was formed from a slightly different creature, combining the appearance of an eagle and a donkey. However, today griffins are depicted exclusively with the body of a lion, and the name "griffoleon" has been changed to "griffin".
The guys
Initially, a griffin tattoo belongs to the category of men’s tattoos and carries a pronounced symbolic meaning. In ancient times, griffins were called “dogs of Zeus”, and people believed that they were treasure keeper. Quite often, this fictional creature, as a guard and patron, was depicted on both sides of the Tree of Life. Therefore, a tattoo of a griffin that kills a snake or dragon carries a positive meaning.
In addition, the griffin also served as a symbol of military service, bravery and courage, which is why images of a griffin standing on its hind legs are often found. This griffin tattoo symbolizes readiness for battle and unwillingness to put up with current circumstances.
The griffin combines the dualistic forces of nature: the lion's body denotes the earthly principle, and the eagle's head and wings - the heavenly. This interweaving of the earthly and heavenly has the meaning of an ideal combination of physical strength and intellect.
For girls
Obviously, the majority of customers for tattoos depicting a griffin are representatives of the stronger sex, often from male professions. However, these can also be women with a strong-willed, strong character. Here the meaning of the tattoo will be somewhat different from the male interpretation of the griffin.
A woman's griffin tattoo represents truth, righteousness, nobility, as well as the limitless power of love..
Today, Christianity does not endow the griffin with positive attributes, as in the Middle Ages. It is believed that this image symbolizes the vengeful force that lives in every person. Also, according to the Christian worldview, a griffin can create various obstacles for a person.
In Greek mythology, the goddess Nemesis used griffins as an instrument of retribution. So often in the lower classes of society, the griffin tattoo has a clear interpretation - revenge.
A tattoo with the image of a griffin suits many styles, because the image of this mythical creature carries a symbolic meaning and looks quite impressive. This can be a three-dimensional realistic picture, made in color, or a stylized silhouette.
It is necessary to pay special attention to the color scheme of the griffin, because it also carries a specific meaning. Most often, the eagle (heavenly) part is painted golden, and the lion, that is, earthly, has the color of flesh.
A griffin of bright red color with golden wings and head embodies a protector, patron and adviser, symbolizing earthly and heavenly unity.
Thus, despite the large number of meanings and meanings that are attributed to the image of a griffin, it becomes clear that, in any case, a griffin is a noble animal, personifying protection, justice and strength, therefore a tattoo with its image is the bearer of the most positive qualities: meaning - power, truth and love. Such a tattoo should be chosen by strong-willed, persistent people, because the griffin will become the patron only of those who always achieve their goals, despite any obstacles and obstacles. This is the meaning of the tattoo.
A griffin tattoo is a spectacular design that is more suitable for the male part of humanity. The images of an eagle and a lion are very often found in heraldry, sculpture, painting and symbolize the ideal combination of physical strength and wisdom. What does a tattoo mean in a modern interpretation?
Who is a griffin
The griffin is a mythical winged creature, a hybrid of a lion and an eagle. According to one version, the name is translated from ancient Greek as “hook-nosed”; according to another, it is a modification of the word “griffoleon”. The first mentions of these creatures appeared in the 5th century BC. Herodotus wrote that they guarded gold in Asian countries, Aeschylus believed that griffins were the dogs of the almighty Zeus. By the way, India was considered the homeland of the creatures, so you can often see their images in ancient temples and on frescoes.
The griffin is a combination of the power of Heaven (eagle) and the power of Earth (lion), which symbolizes the struggle between good and evil, dark and light, animal and rational. In the Middle Ages, it was a positive image that personified the Savior. Later the meaning changed, and the griffin began to be considered a stealer of human souls and a persecutor of believers. It is noteworthy that in Greek mythology it was the instrument of retribution of the goddess Nemesis and symbolized pride and revenge. In the drawings you can often see Nemesis sitting in a chariot drawn by winged creatures.
The image of a griffin has often been used in heraldry since the Middle Ages. His image can be seen on the coat of arms of Kerch and on the coat of arms of the Romanov family; in the form of a sculpture it is found in Barcelona and decorates the customs building.
Options for tattoo designs
The main meaning of a griffin tattoo is power, power, nobility. The image of an eagle and a lion is more suitable for men and will give them courage and determination. The owner of a griffin tattoo is a generous, brave person, he knows how to stand up for himself and will not let his loved ones be offended. He calmly and calmly endures any test, never gives up or gives up. Wisdom and justice are the main traits of someone who has chosen such a tattoo.
The meaning of a tattoo may vary depending on the design and nature of the composition.
- The image of a griffin tormenting a victim speaks of the owner’s aggressiveness and desire to demonstrate his strength to others. Perhaps the person has not forgotten the grievances of the past, and this prevents him from moving on.
- A tattoo with a grinning griffin has a similar meaning. Typically, this sketch is chosen by people who need to think about how fair they are to themselves.
- The griffin, which stands on its hind legs, represents fearlessness and readiness for change. The owner of the tattoo does not want to put up with the current situation and is waiting for the right moment to start a new life.
- Sketches of a calm and non-aggressive creature have the most positive meaning. The tattoo indicates that a person is in harmony with himself and with the world around him.
Execution technique
A griffin tattoo looks impressive on a large scale on the chest or shoulder of men. Realism and engraving styles are ideal options in this case (see photo in the gallery), but you can choose sketches in other techniques to make the result original and unusual. A monochrome image can be made as close as possible to the original or schematic.
The classic sketch of a griffin tattoo is the head and wings of a golden color, and the body is red or beige. In this combination, the design is not only a beautiful decoration, but also a talisman that protects against troubles and ill-wishers. For girls, such a tattoo will give self-confidence. It can also be seen in people of military professions, regardless of gender.
Photos of griffin tattoos
Selection of sketches
The griffin is a creature from myths and legends that combines the strength of two animals; images of an animal with a lion’s body and the head and wings of an eagle were found quite often, both in architecture and in painting. Initially, griffins were credited with such qualities as: strength, nobility, courage, arrogance. However, different cultures treated the mythical creature differently.
Symbolism of a griffin tattoo
Thus, the Ancient Greeks perceived griffins as messengers of the gods, endowing them with only positive qualities. In Christianity, the appearance of a mythical animal was equated with a demonic one. However, it was in Christianity that the griffin was associated with Jesus Christ, who reigned on earth like a lion and ascended to heaven like an eagle.
Most often, tattoos with a mythical animal are found on men. Usually, a griffin tattoo reflects a combination of physical and spiritual qualities of a person - strength and intelligence. Owners of this kind of tattoos have very tough, strong-willed characters. By putting an image of a mythical creature on their body, both men and women invest in them not only positive meaning, such as nobility, patronage, fidelity; a griffin tattoo can also tell about the desire for retribution in its owner.
The griffin is depicted mainly on the forearm and chest, as a kind of heraldic symbol. A person wearing a tattoo with the image of a griffin is distinguished by courage, determination, bravery, the ability to stand up not only for himself, but also to protect the weak; he perceives all hardships and hardships calmly and with great dignity. The style and composition of the drawing will help determine the exact interpretation.
A griffin, depicted with a victim in its teeth, speaks of an aggressive attitude, a demonstration of its strength, as well as a thirst for revenge. The image of a griffin’s grin is given the same meaning. A warlike creature standing on its hind legs symbolizes readiness for battle and unwillingness to put up with the current situation. Only the image of a calm, peaceful animal carries a positive meaning, speaking of harmony within the owner of the tattoo.
The meaning of a griffin tattoo can be interpreted in different ways, but the strength, courage and justice of the creature remains unchanged. However, it is worth remembering that a mythical animal can only give protection to people with a strong-willed character who always achieve their goals.
The griffin is a purely mythical animal; in the past it was often used in heraldry. For example, on the coat of arms of Kerch there is just such a mysterious beast. A griffin in modern language can be called a mutant that has body parts of both a lion and an eagle.
Since both of these animals are considered the kings of their elements, the meaning of the griffin tattoo is interpreted as strength and justice. The owner of such a tattoo must calmly and calmly overcome any challenge. At the same time, he must be fair both to others and to himself.
It is then that a tattoo will not only be able to show a person’s character, but also protect him in difficult times. Become a body amulet that is always with its owner. To some, such a tattoo may seem scary and aggressive. This may be true if the griffin is tormenting some victim. This is a manifestation that a person has not forgotten some serious offense. And then the tattoo can bring problems into his life instead of protection if he does not change.
If the griffin looks calm and wise in the sketch, then such a body design will suit a person who has understood his inner world. If you like a sketch with a grinning animal, then you need to think about how fair a person is to himself.
