[HPforGrownups] Heraldry

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 13844

Amy Z wrote:

> P.P.S. re: Gryffindor lion, a griffin has a lion's body and an eagle's
> head, so a lion is a logical choice.  But I bet Amanda knew that.

Yeah, but griffins were a classical monster, as I recall, and have been
a common charge in heraldry from the 15th century or so. Common enough
for me to suspect that JKR wanted the associations of the lion (king of
beasts, symbol of authority, nobility, longtime association with royalty
of England, etc.) that the griffin simply does not have (for the modern
reader).

--Amanda

P.S.--Griffins more correctly are the front half of an eagle and the
back half of a lion. Their forward limbs are the legs and claws of an
eagle, and they have wings. They do have tufty feathery ears, though.


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