Every Mythical Sky Creature Explained in 23 Minutes

The griffin is one of the oldest hybrid creatures in recorded mythology, and it didn't earn its reputation quietly. With the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, it combined the two animals considered kings of their respective domains into something that made both look underpowered. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote about griffins guarding gold deposits in the mountains of Scythia, a region roughly corresponding to modern Central Asia, and the creatures took that job seriously enough that getting near the treasure was considered a death sentence.