4. Griffon

Griffons are winged creatures with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. They have sharp claws and snow-white, sometimes golden wings. Their role, according to various myths and literature, is quite ambiguous, as griffons often can be kindhearted defenders or evil, feral beasts.

But the real story of griffons is just as fascinating as the myths about them. Historian Adrienne Mayor suggested that the image of the griffon was inspired by the stories of Scythian gold seekers of Altai, who potentially found the fossilized bones of protoceratops in the Gobi Desert. If you look at the size of the dino, the bird-like beak, the proximity to gold deposits, and its collar, which could have created the illusion of wings, it’s not that strange to imagine it as a majestic eagle cat.

5. Cyclops

In ancient Greek mythology, the Cyclopes were a group of one-eyed giants who loved munching on sheep and people. Among them, the most famous was the fierce son of Poseidon, Polyphemus, who was blinded by Odysseus.

Now, as for the real story, in 1914, paleontologist Otenio Abel suggested that skulls of dwarf elephants were the myth’s origins since the central nasal opening in the elephant’s skull could be easily mistaken for a giant eye socket. Interestingly, these elephants were found precisely on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus, Malta, Crete, Sicily, Sardinia, the Cyclades, and the Dodecanese.

6. Chinese Dragons

Unlike many other dragons, the Chinese dragon does not have wings, but it does have a long beard, among a thousand other qualities. While most dragons in Western mythology are usually associated with fire and destruction, Chinese dragons in myths usually appear as benevolent creatures protecting the land.

And if the myths about European dragons are potentially rooted in dinosaur fossils, the Chinese dragon’s origins are even more ethereal. Not so long ago, the fossil remains of a gigantic snake called Titanoboa were discovered in Colombia. After conducting a comparative analysis of the skeleton, scientists came to the conclusion that the snake could reach 13 meters in length and weigh more than a ton. Titanoboa lived around 60 million years ago in the tropical forests of modern Colombia. But it is quite possible that it had similar huge relatives on other continents, like Vasuki indicus, for example.