Serpopard

• #3830
•  Egyptian (culture)
•  Heraldic (attribute)
•  Neutral (behaviour)

A mythical animal that whose depictions have been found on ancient Egyptian artifacts. Images of this creature have been painted on the Narmer Palette and the Small Palette of Nekhen. The Serpopard is a cross between a leopard and a serpent. It has the body of a leopard and the head of a snake on a very long neck. Some state that its appearance resembles a reptiles head on a long-necked lioness. The Serpopard has no markings on its body, round ears and a tail that ends with a tuft of hair much like that of a lion. Since it bears a strong resemblance of a lion, many believe that the Serpopard is a heraldic beast symbolizing royalty and protection, since this is the symbolic meaning of a lion in the religious concepts of Upper and Lower Egypt.

The Egyptians are well known for their accurate depictions of animals and so this has led some archeologists to believe that the Serpopard is not a mythical creature but a picture of a lion with an exaggerated neck designed from artistic license for the purpose of filling space on a plate or other item.

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