Strata: Exhibit Watch

Emory Exhibit Unmasks Ancient Monsters

Monsters, Demons and Winged Beasts, now on display at the Carlos Museum of Emory University, invites visitors to explore the mythical and often terrifying creatures that populated the imaginations of ancient peoples. Showcasing over 150 objects from more than a dozen ancient civilizations, the exhibit traces the evolution of monsters and demons in Greek and Roman art, many of which originated with mythical beasts well known from the Biblical world. These included the mysterious half-serpent, half-crocodile Leviathan of the ocean’s depths (Job 41) and the fanciful cherubim—powerful guardian creatures that were part human, part lion, part eagle and part bull—that decorated (and protected) Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6:23–28).

Many believe the cherubim and similar Near Eastern creatures were the inspiration for the griffin, a fantastic beast of Greek mythology and art that blended elements of an eagle, lion and snake. This frightening griffin protome (above), with its scaled neck extended and its beak yawning ferociously, once decorated the mouth of a large Greek cauldron from the late seventh century B.C.E. and was probably intended to symbolically protect the vessel’s contents.