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The lion is called the king of the jungle and is a fascinating creature of the animal kingdom. Aside from the natural world, it also holds a special place in mythology as a winged lion.
The winged lion mythology is prevalent in numerous cultures, notably in Mesopotamian, Persian, and Egyptian mythology. The winged lion is a mythical creature, known in some cultures as the Griffin – a creature with lion and eagle features.

It has been widely used in the art world in paintings and sculptures, especially as winged lion statues, in literature, and even depicted on flags. While most people are familiar with lion symbolism, which represents courage, nobility, royalty, strength, grandeur and fearlessness, not many know about winged lion symbolism.

Although there is a different meaning for lion with wings in different cultures, a lion with wings is widely known as a griffin. Dating back to ancient times, the Lion of Saint Mark is a winged lion that symbolizes Saint Mark the Evangelist, patron of Venice. St. Mark’s symbol is the eagle-lion creature, which is the traditional symbol of Venice and earlier belonged to the Republic of Venice.
It symbolizes an immediate and unique identity with power. But what else does a lion symbolize, what is a winged lion called, and what is the meaning of winged lion?

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What is a Winged Lion Called?

In various mythologies, including Greek, a mythical creature lion with wings – with the body of a lion, the head of an eagle and wings is called a griffin. This mighty creature represents mastery of the earth and sky and is linked with might and wisdom. The griffin was the most popular and the best ornamental motif in the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean region

Although there is no documented origin time for the griffin as an art symbol, it probably originated in the Levant in the 2nd century BC. By the 14th century BC, these marvelous creatures had spread throughout Western Asia and into Greece both in paintings and sculptures.
The lion with wings gave people a symbol of beauty, power, and strength. The winged lion in Greek mythology is still strong in popularity.

Winged Lion Symbolism

The winged lion symbolism can be found in several cultures. The widely known symbol of a winged lion is for the patron saint, the evangelist, and Saint Mark. This mythological symbol features a lion with wings like a bird.
Aside from being a traditional symbol of Venice, the winged lion meaning also represents wisdom, knowledge and a sword that represents the universal symbol of justice. Although it doesn’t have an official or political meaning, the winged lion has a popular and religious origin.

The lion with wings is the emblem of the popular tourist destination that is the lagoon city of Venice, of the ancient Serenissima Republic, of the municipality, of the province, and of the Veneto region of Italy. It is also a part of the coat of arms of the Italian Navy.
Moreover, this mythical lion with wings is widespread in the squares and historical buildings of all the cities that have been ruled by the Serenissima Republic. The lion with wings is also present on the Venetian badges of civil, military, and religious use, both in the flags and on the coins.

There have been many popular depictions of the winged lion throughout history across the world. It can be found in literature, in winged lion statues, griffin lions with wings and so on. Read on to know more about various representations of winged lion mythology

The Winged Lion of Venice

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The winged lion of Venice is one of the most popular mythical lions with wings in human history. It is the symbol of St. Mark, the Evangelist, who was also an Apostle. Saint Mark is considered the patron saint of Venice after his body was stolen from a grave in Alexandria, Egypt.
A symbol of St. Mark, the Lion of Venice is an ancient bronze-winged lion statue in the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy. The sculpture is poised atop one of the two large granite columns in the Square, which bear ancient symbols of the two patron saints of the city.

This winged lion statue is a composite of different pieces of bronze that were created at different times. It has undergone wide-ranging restoration and repair work many times in history. According to historians, the original statue was likely significantly different from the current figure. Many believe that before Christianity, the lion may not have at first any link with Saint Mark.

The Griffin

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The Griffin was once considered a Christian symbol for the Church’s ideals on the institutions of matrimony. It also symbolized Jesus Christ at some point in history. The Griffin is a mythological creature with the body, tail and back legs of a lion, morphed with the head and wings of an eagle; it sometimes is depicted with an eagle’s talons as its front feet.
There have been several Griffin symbol meanings, although it mostly symbolizes power, royalty and bravery.

But what does a Griffin represent? Well, by the Middle Ages, the symbol of eagle with lion body was thought to be a particularly majestic and powerful being. The reason was quite simple: the lion has been considered the king of the land and the eagle the king of the skies, making the Griffin one dominant and intimidating creature.

The Griffin is one of the most popular mythological beings of ancient Greek. The Roman lion symbol with wings was also associated with the sun god Apollo, as it was as intense as the sun and was worthy of fear and respect. In several Greek and Roman texts, griffins were linked with gold deposits in Central Asia.

The Winged Lion of Lamassu

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The symbol of Lamassu was initially depicted as a goddess in Sumerian times and was called Lamma. However, in Assyrian times it was depicted as a hybrid of a human and a bird with either a bull or lion. It usually has a body of a bull or winged lion, and bird wings and is called Lamassu. In some literature, the symbol is associated with a goddess.

It symbolized intelligence and power. The eagle wings are linked with the sun god who controls and enhances the features of the lion, whereas the human head represents the intelligence of the winged lion creature. The lion with wings has spiritual meaning and is usually associated with several gods and goddesses in various cultures.