Mythical theriomorphs

Animal-formed symbolic beings and partly animal-formed (theriomorphic, zoomorphic), partly human-formed (anthropomorphic) symbolic beings have been known from earliest times. Among the most ancient are winged creatures of this category, and compound creatures with characteristics of several species. These fictional beings could be classified as mythical terrestrial and mythical celestial creatures, and also as malevolent or benevolent. Among them all may be mentioned those that are primarily horse-formed: half-man centaurs, winged horses, and part-horse or part-ass and part other animals; and those that are primarily dog-formed, serpent, fish or bird-formed. Some are recognizably mythic solely by their size and must be included in the mythic-monster category. Well-know examples in this whole class include: wolfman (lycanthrope), unicorn, sphinxes, phoenix, ouroboros, minotaur, medusa, mermaid, leviathan, griffin, gorgon, gargoyle, dragon, cerberus, makara (capricorn goat-fish), and the bird-serpents of Central America (e.g. Quetzalcoatl).

Some ancient gods took the form of mythic theriomorphs or hybrids, particularly in Egypt and Western Asia. The principle connotation is one of power and in the case of complex composites, of universality.