Hippalectryon
Sign in to saveA hippalectryon, or hippalektryon (), is a type of fantastic hybrid creature of Ancient Greek folklore; half-horse (front) and half-rooster (hind), including the tail, wings and hind legs. Its colour varies between yellow and reddish. No myths related to it are currently known.
Key facts
- Mythical creature.name
- Hippalectryon
- Mythical creature.AKA
- hippalektryon, cock-horse
- Mythical creature.image
- Xenokles lip cup hippalektryon Antikensammlung Berlin-white.jpg
- Mythical creature.image_size
- 250
- Mythical creature.caption
- Boy riding a hippalectryon, black-figure kylix from Attica, 540 to 530 BCE, Altes Museum (Berlin)
- Mythical creature.Folklore
- Greek mythology
- Mythical creature.Grouping
- Legendary creature
- Mythical creature.Sub_Grouping
- Hybrid creature
- Mythical creature.Country
- Greece
- Mythical creature.Similar_entities
- hippogriff
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Xenokles lip cup hippalektryon Antikensammlung Berlin-white.jpg
Show 1 more fact
- Commons category
- Hippalektryon
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
~7 min read
Article
11 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Description
- Ceramic and sculpture
- Numismatics
- Symbolism
- Occurrences in Greek texts
- In popular culture
- Notes and references
- Notes
- Bibliography
- External links
A hippalectryon, or hippalektryon (), is a type of fantastic hybrid creature of Ancient Greek folklore; half-horse (front) and half-rooster (hind), including the tail, wings and hind legs. Its colour varies between yellow and reddish. No myths related to it are currently known.
The oldest representation currently known dates back to the 9th century BCE, and the motif grows most common in the 6th century, notably in vase painting and sometimes as statues, often shown with a rider. It is also featured on some pieces of currency. A few literary works of the 5th century mention the beast, most notably Aeschylus and Aristophanes, who used it as one of his favourite insults.