Chimaerae
The ancient Egyptians often combined the features of a number of animals, representing their strengths, into new, fantastic creatures. Their gods may have originally been powers of nature embodied in animals, but they often took on human or partial human forms as well, and humans, generally the pharaohs, were at times depicted in animal form, or given animal epithets.
Ammit
Ammit, a monster with the head of a crocodile, the torso of a lion and the hindparts of a hippo, devoured the hearts of the sinners during the judgment of the dead.
Griffins
Griffins are chimaera with eagle or hawk heads and feline bodies. Sometimes they were depicted with wings.
Serpopards
Chimaera, with feline bodies and heads and snakelike necks, they appear both on Egyptian (Narmer Palette) and Mesopotamian artefacts.
Sphinxes
Shinxes have the body of a lion and the head of a human or, as in the case of the sphinxes in the avenue at Karnak, of a ram.
Taweret
Taweret was basically a hippopotamus. But, being a fertility goddess, she was also given penndulous human breasts. Her lion paws may have reflected the fiercely protective nature of this goddess.Picture sources:
Ammit: The papyrus of Ani.
Serpopards: M.Audrain: The Glory of Egypt
Sphinxes: Jon Bodsworth
