Global Journal of Human Social Science, H: Interdisciplinary, Volume 22 Issue 7

Scientist Igor Pyankov explained this information as follows: “The Bactrians... dig gold from the mountains, but griffons live there. These four-legged birds have feet and claws similar to those of lions, and they themselves resemble wolves with their huge bodies. Although it has wings, it cannot fly... The feathers on its chest are red, and those on its body are black, its wings are white, its nose is like an eagle’s, and its eyes sparkle with fire. Because of this, it is difficult to get gold from there... Bactrians collect the gold dropped by griffins... Griffins can't fight only against elephants and lions... Gold seekers look for gold hiding from griffins in the dark nights... among Indians, griffins are counted in the celebration of the Sun, four are driven together in a cart with idols representing the Sun... In Bactria, gold too many...” [4]. Gold ingots dating back to the early centuries AD were found in the Dalvarzintepa monument. The weight of the gold ingots has been determined and the inscription “Given by God Mitra” is written on it. This in itself refers to the views associated with the belief of the Sun. From the mentioned information, it can be understood that in the eyes of the god Mitra, the lifestyle of the people in the Kushan Empire was full, and here the god was associated with the Sun and radiant things. Reflected in a badge on a soldier's uniform found in the Orlot cemetery of Samarkand. It depicts the symbol of a gryphon capturing prey. Therefore, the burial of the deceased with such mystical symbols shows that there was a vision of the afterlife. There are historical records of the Greeks appropriating and exporting the region's material wealth, particularly gold. The fight of the young men on the elephants with the gryphons in the Red Hall of Varakhsha confirms this historical information. This historical event is confirmed among the people in the saying that griffins “can't resist elephants”. Over time, griffins became patrons, sacred symbols, and mystical symbols of the local rulers of Varakhsha [5]. The image of an elephant carved on a stone found in ancient Termiz is related to this topic. Based on the information of Greek historians, L.Albaum notes that the gold items with griffins taken by the Achaemenid kings from Bactria entered Iran and were assimilated there. A griffin figurine was found from the Zoroastrian temple in Qal'aliqir, which dates back to the 4th century BC Khorezm, and a griffin symbol on a tablet from the 1st-3rd centuries was found in the Buddha temple of the Fayoztepa monument in Termiz. The mystical symbol of the griffin syncretized with the religious beliefs that entered the region in later times. It is known that two types of griffins - lion-griffon (winged lion) and eagle-griffon (winged animal with a bird's head) have been widespread in our country since ancient times. The lion is a symbol of the rulership of the earth, and the eagle-griffin represents the sky. Both mystical symbols are considered to be symbolic representations of the Sun in their direction. In particular, the griffin with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion was revered as a special symbol of faith in the ancient East. The griffins depicted on the seals found in Bactrian Sopollitepa belong to the middle of the 2nd century BC [6]. Local griffons were distinguished from griffons from other regions by their own characteristics. G. Pugachenkova managed to find a griffin with a tiger's body and an eagle's head on a silver plate dating back to BC. In the process of researching this plate, he put forward a number of his scientific theories. According to him, he notes that in the East, the griffon with a lion's body was transformed into a tiger of the Amudarya River, and a griffon with a dog-like head resembling an angry bulldog was found near the Hakim al-Termizi complex. G. Pugachenkova explains that in the IV-III centuries BC, the griffin symbol spread from Bactria and Sogd through the nomadic Sakas and Scythian tribes through the first route to Ettisuv and Altai, and the second route to Kazakhstan and Southern Siberia. A medallion was found in Varakhsha, the summer palace of Bukhara gods. It depicts a mystical creature with big ears and a spear-like tail that splits into two and rises up. One of the wall paintings in the Red Hall of Varakhsha depicts a similar mythological animal, whose hind legs resemble those of a cat, and whose front legs resemble those of a bird of prey. In his study, V. Shishkin depicted the gryphon bird - eagle-headed, lion-bodied and winged, in a mystical way. A seal found in the city of Suz in the 3rd century BC shows the same symbol. The scenes of the king constantly fighting against the gryphons represent the ideas of dualism and symbolically represent the processes of renewal of existence. Over time, griffins have been characterized in different ways in different peoples, sometimes they were gods of good, sometimes they were evil. According to the hypothesis of archaeologist G. Pugachenkova, griffins depicted on rings, seals and coins found in some historical places of Uzbekistan were used as amulets against evil forces and magic. Gryphons at one time were considered not only the creation of the universe, but also the totem of its protection. For example, a pair of wild beasts served as a shield that warded off all the evils of evil forces. The symbol of a pair of horned lion-gryphon bracelets, known and famous in all nations of the world, is one of the rare finds of the Amudarya monument. The base of the incense pot found in Campirtepa in the shape of a lion-griffin is a clear example of the above idea. Here the incense, in its essence, the protective function of the gryphon is manifested in the case where sacrifices are made to receive help and support from the gods. Volume XXII Issue VII Version I 50 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2022 © 2022 Global Journals H The Symbol of the Griffin in the Primitive-Religious Views of the People of Central Asia