The Griffon is a legendary creature with the head, beak and wings of an eagle, the body of a lion and occasionally the tail of a serpent or scorpion. Its origin lies somewhere in the Middle East where it is found in the paintings and sculptures of the ancient Babylonians, Assyrians and Persians. In Greek mythology, the Griffons belonged to Zeus. The later Romans used them for decoration and even in Christian times the Griffon motif often appears. Griffons were frequently used as gargoyles on medieval churches and buildings.