The hieracosphinx (Ancient Greek: ἱερακόσφιγξ) is a mythical beast found in Egyptian sculpture and European heraldry.^[1] The god Haroeris ("Horus the Elder") was usually depicted as one.^[2] The name Hieracosphinx comes from the Greek Ιερακόσφιγξ, itself from ἱέραξ (hierax "hawk") + σφίγξ ("sphinx").^[3]

Description

The Hieracosphinx has the head of a hawk and the body of a lion. The name was coined by Herodotus to the hawk-headed sphinxes that he saw in Egypt; the other being the ram-headed sphinx which Herodotus called Criosphinx (Ancient Greek: Κριόσφιγξ).

In popular culture

The Hieracosphinx is the name of a monster card in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game.^[4]

In the Real-time strategy game Age of Mythology, worshipping Bast allows players to upgrade their Sphinxes to Hieracosphinxes.

See also

• Ammit
• Griffin
• Hippogriff
• Sphinx
• Serpopard

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hieracosphinx.

• Comparison of the hieracosphinx with other sphinx types