
This is an aquamanile fashioned from Leather. Circa 1200 from Lower Saxony. Aquamaniles held water for washing the hands at the table. This one is in the Louvre, Paris.
Gryphons are a crash-job between an eagle and a lion. They have a pair of wings and their front feet resemble those of an eagle. Some have an eagle's head and lion's body. They guarded treasure (like dragons). They have a long lineage and were well known in the middle ages. They mated for life, and, if they lost their partner, never sought another.
They can also be Griffons, or Griffins; I prefer Gryphons. They are an heraldic emblem of strength, courage and leadership.
Gryphons are a crash-job between an eagle and a lion. They have a pair of wings and their front feet resemble those of an eagle. Some have an eagle's head and lion's body. They guarded treasure (like dragons). They have a long lineage and were well known in the middle ages. They mated for life, and, if they lost their partner, never sought another.
They can also be Griffons, or Griffins; I prefer Gryphons. They are an heraldic emblem of strength, courage and leadership.