10 Mythical Creatures That Actually Existed

The Myth: The Griffin is a mythological beast, which has the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion while the wings, forelegs, and head are that of an eagle. Griffins have been around since classical antiquity, and they were often depicted as honorable guardians of important artifacts and treasure.

As the myth developed through the medieval period, it evolved into a Christian symbol of divine power, which was used as a guardian of the divine. Symbols of Griffins can be found throughout Europe, North Africa, and Asia, with the earliest examples being found in the Egyptian city of Hierakonpolis. That find was dated to between 3300 and 3100 BCE.

The Reality: Like most of the mythological creatures on this list, the Griffin may have been the product of early dinosaur fossil finds. Adrienne Mayor of Stanford University posited that Scythian nomads of central Asia may have discovered fossils of protoceratops, which likely gave them the impression of an ancient flying beast.

Protoceratops weren't avian dinosaurs, but if people unfamiliar with dinosaurs discovered their bones thousands of years ago, it makes sense that the myth of the Griffin would soon follow. The skull has a beaklike snout, which appears birdlike and the creature was about the same size as a lion.