Griffin (heraldic animal)

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The griffin as heraldic animal (for Western Pomerania in the official state coat of arms of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania )

The grip is in the heraldry as a heraldic animal in the series of common characters . Heraldic griffins have been known since the end of the 12th century. In Pomerania and Mecklenburg it can already be proven at this time. The griffin is very common as a heraldic animal, especially in the southern Baltic region.

Representation and Blazon

The representation in the coat of arms is always in profile, usually looking to the right (heraldic) and ascending . The head differs from the eagle by its pointed ears . The thrown forefeet and the wings are borrowed from the eagle, the whole lower part of the body from the lion. The tail is now up, now down. The weaponry (claws, beak, tongue and bird legs) is often a different color tinged .

Special forms

Griffin lion

The griffin lion has no wings.

Fish griffin

A special form is the griffin with the lower part as a fish tail. He is then called Fisch Griff .

Keythong

Keythong, the term alce has not yet spread in literature, is used in English heraldry to denote a mythical creature that is similar to the heraldic animal griffin. This little heraldic animal has no wings and is horned. In descriptions, it is a wingless male griffin. The special feature are the golden rays emerging from the body, which no other heraldic animal shows.

use

The list of coats of arms with the griffin provides a list of griffins used in heraldry .

The griffin is also a popular shield holder and is shown in ascending order in the upper coat of arms . In this representation, the colors are taken from the coat of arms , but not necessarily.

See also

literature

  • Johann Siebmacher (greeting), Horst Appuhn (ed.): Johann Siebmacher's coat of arms from 1605 . Orbis, Munich 1999, ISBN 3-572-10050-X
  • Johann Siebmacher's coat of arms book . Facsimile reprint of the edition published by Rudolph Helmers in Nuremberg in 1701/05. All 6 parts with appendix, register and all extensions up to the completion of the main edition from 1772. Battenberg-Verlag, Munich 1975, ISBN 3-87045-098-3
  • Johann Siebmacher's coat of arms book. Supplements 1753 to 1806 . Facsimile reprint of the twelve supplements published from 1753 to 1806 by Verlag der Raspische Handlung in Nuremberg. Battenberg-Verlag, Munich 1979, ISBN 3-87045-163-7
  • Hanns Jäger-Sunstenau : General index to the Siebmacher coat of arms books 1605-1967 . New edition Graz 1984

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ludwig Biewer : The griffin in the Pomeranian communal heraldry. In: The Herald. Quarterly for heraldry, genealogy, and allied sciences . New series vol. 18, 2010, issue 4, pp. 121–135.
  2. ↑ Gert Oswald : Lexicon of Heraldry. VEB Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1984.

Web links

Commons : Grab in the heraldry  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : Pomeranian Griffins  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files
Commons : Fish Griffons  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files